The government shutdown—now the longest in history—is causing a ripple of problems across all sectors. Affected government employees aren’t receiving paychecks and are turning to nonprofits for additional support. Nonprofits, already tight on resources, are wondering how they will help even more people than they already do, while worrying about their own finances. Nonprofits rely on government grants to fill their budget gaps, but with the government closed, they don’t know when they will receive their checks.
Added pressure on nonprofits’ already limited resources
With 800,000 federal employees either at home or working without pay, many are turning to food pantries for assistance. At Project Bread, the largest statewide hunger relief organization in Massachusetts, officials say they have been helping enroll government employees in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or food stamps). This means more people are using this resource, but funding for SNAP will expire in February if the shutdown continues. According to USA Today, many food pantries are worried they won’t have enough resources to meet the increased needs.
The National Museums are closed to visitors because of the shutdown. The National Endowment for the Arts is closed, leaving artists wondering when they will receive the grants they’ve been promised this year. Grant applications for 2020 are open, but there is nobody working to review them.
The national parks have remained open with reduced staff. But without the usual number of park rangers to protect the grounds, the parks have become dumping grounds for waste and destruction. Reports of Joshua Trees being cut down in California’s Joshua Tree National Park have circled, drawing outrage across the country.
How businesses can help
Some businesses are offering assistance to federal employees and being vocal about the need to reopen the government. Many banks and credit unions are waiving overdraft fees, offering 0 percent interest loans, and providing guidance on loan forgiveness and assistance programs. Verizon is offering a Promise to Pay program for government employees to pay their bills at a later date. Numerous restaurants are offering free or reduced-price meals to federal workers impacted by the shutdown. Columbia Sportswear took out a full-page ad in the Washington Post urging President Trump to end the shutdown and reopen the national parks.
Nonprofits impacted by the shutdown are asking businesses and people for help. The National Parks Foundation issued the following a statement on their website: “Once the government reopens and National Park Service staff assess the full extent of damages, both financial resources and volunteers will be needed to help restore these great places.” The site urges people to make a donation or sign up for volunteer information.
Businesses wanting to make an impact during the shutdown should reserve time for a company-wide volunteer day or offer employees paid time off to volunteer at an organization of their choice, such as a national park, that has been impacted by the shutdown. They can also make monetary contributions to nonprofits like Project Bread, cultural institutions, the National Parks Foundation or one of the many other organizations feeling the residual impact of the shutdown.
The shutdown is the latest and most extreme example of why we cannot leave nonprofits and the government with the sole responsibility for tackling society’s greatest challenges—they simply don’t have enough resources. The chaos caused by the shutdown right now is making this abundantly clear, and fortunately, some companies have already voiced their support and acted on it. Once the shutdown ends, we need corporations to continue to step up and use their money to support a cause and encourage their staff to volunteer.
