District 5 Virtual Emergency Town Hall Navigating the Government Shutdown

Council member Shayla Adams‑Stafford convenes residents and agency partners to explain impacts, share resources and coordinate local responses

As the federal shutdown carried on into a second week, a virtual emergency town hall on Oct. 7 brought residents, aid groups and agency partners together to connect families with resources and navigate lost paychecks. District 5 Council member Shayla Adams‑Stafford convened the meeting to explain how the shutdown is affecting local households and to coordinate relief efforts.

“The callous way that government workers have been treated, there’s no shame because you still have to navigate your mental health during this challenging time,” Adams‑Stafford said.

The shutdown, which began Oct. 1 amid disputes over federal spending, the Affordable Care Act and tax credits, has left many federal employees and contractors facing loss paychecks and mounting expenses.

Adams‑Stafford opened the meeting by emphasizing mental‑health supports and directed residents to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, a federal agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that provides crisis and behavioral‑health resources for affected workers and families.

Adams‑Stafford guided attendees through resources, including the Maryland Department of Labor’s guidance on unemployment compensation for federal contractors and its Federal Worker Emergency Loan Program, which offers a zero‑interest $700 loan to eligible excepted employees. She also noted assistance programs from utility companies, including PEPCO and BGE, and nonprofits that provide immediate relief.

She highlighted Wellfed, which offers career‑transition programming, wellness resources and free counseling for federal employees and contractors, and Mary’s House, which runs a food and clothing program that supports roughly 100–120 families through partner referrals and client distributions.

Essential federal employee Sherma Almeida described the personal toll. “As a government employee, it feels extremely—you feel toyed with. It feels like you’re just being jerked around all the time with very little, no ability to say anything. There are lots of people caught in the middle, and it’s like, could you guys figure something out here?”

Joshua Omolola, constituent services coordinator for Adams‑Stafford, said the council office is coordinating direct assistance. “We’re supporting each other arm in arm, identifying those who need help and meeting them where they are, especially with the holidays around the corner — please email our office.”

Residents seeking help were urged to contact the council office and the Maryland Department of Labor for program details and application information.