The Montgomery County website has a new portal where the county’s federal workers and contractors affected by the government shutdown can find information about assistance available to them.
The portal includes summaries of information from county departments (such as Health and Human Services), local agencies, businesses, utilities, nonprofits, and community groups offering help to furloughed workers.
In addition, visitors to the page will find links to additional information covering subjects such as unemployment insurance (as well as links to online claim forms).
At the same time, several local community groups and other organizations are offering free meals and/or food distribution services for workers and their families, including:
- U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-District 8) and the Amalgamated Transit Union International will provide families a free meal on Sunday, Jan. 13 from 3-6 p.m. at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center, 10000 New Hampshire Ave. (bring federal employee ID)
- A Wider Circle (9159 Brookville Rd.) is offering food assistance and other household essentials
- Manna Food Center (various drop-off locations) is temporarily waiving income requirements to provide food to any county resident affected by the shutdown
- Shepherd’s Table (8106 Georgia Ave.) will serve federal workers or anyone needing meals or clothing
- Adventist Community Services (501 Sligo Ave.) will open a food pantry Monday, Jan. 14 from 4-6 p.m. to anyone with a federal worker or contractor ID
- St. Luke Lutheran Church (9100 Colesville Rd.) will serve federal employees a Shutdown Supper featuring chicken parmesan and spaghetti Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in Bieber Hall
- Kaldi’s Social House (918 Silver Spring Ave.) is offering government workers free coffee, tea and espresso drinks, and
- sweetgreen locations (including 8517 Georgia Ave.) will offer a free signature salad to anyone with a federal government ID tonight and tomorrow night from 6-8 p.m.
If you know of similar offers that we have missed, please add them in the Comments section.
Screenshot from county’s assistance portal