The United States Government just shut down.
I know a lot of us don’t give a crap about this, and that’s cool, but there are some basic facts that we should all know. Not because it’s important but because this is like a weather forecast as to how Shutdown 2013 is going to mess up something for all of us.
All. Of. Us.
In a nutshell:
1. Stop me if you heard this – dozens of important government services will not be available until this thing gets sorted out. Learn more about that here. And, here is a fun fact to tell someone flying this week: Air traffic controllers are required to work without getting paid. Enjoy your flight!
2. The trickle-down damage of this decision will cost the American economy a billion dollars a week. People not earning = People not spending. Learn more about that here.
3. If you are a working American, roughly 30 cents on every dollar you earn today will filter through an entity run mostly by white men who couldn’t find their ass with both hands.
*Note, I said mostly – that makes it bipartisan.
4. The last time this happened, seventeen years ago, the essential administration of many government offices was left to volunteers. For example, the White House was run by a fleet of interns who were given unprecedented access to important documents and elected officials, including one intern named Monica Lewinsky. We all know how that went down (pun intended). Now, I’m not saying Barry would ever step out on M-Dawg, I’m saying we need to be concerned about who will be running the show if this thing goes on for several weeks, which, let’s face it, it probably will.
 |
| Please note: The title of this post should probably be “This would never happen if *more* women were in charge. “ Gender is not the problem here. Letting a women’s program like this go under as “non-essential” IS a problem, and one that I am relying other women to fix. Pssst: That means you. |
I know what you are thinking; But Peaches, I don’t follow politics. I rarely vote. I’m tired of hearing about this crap. I don’t care. I’m busy raising my kids/working a job/trying to make ends meet. Can’t somebody else give a crap for me?
Yes. I will give a crap for both of us. And then some.
BUT. There is one program in jeopardy, immediate jeopardy, that I am especially concerned with that I think you will care about too. Yes, you. And if you don’t want to track the overall Shutdown
Storm 2013, that’s 100% fine, I don’t blame you a bit, but maybe you could help some folks who need it – namely, mothers trying to feed their kids. Are you a Mom? Have you ever watched your kid go to school hungry? Yeah, let’s talk about this one…
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a federal program that helps families across the country obtain healthy foods – pregnant women, new mothers and their children, to be specific. No, we are not talking about food stamps. That’s different.
For women living at the federal poverty level or below, whose alternative income goes to basic needs like rent and heat, and/or may not live in an area where basic grocery stores are accessible or affordable, WIC services make up the difference. In my home state of Illinois, WIC provides essentials to over 50,000 households each year. That’s 50,000 moms who will not have the food they need if this goes on for more than a week.
As of October 1 – that’s toady y’all— WIC will not be funded. From the US Department of Agriculture;
“No additional federal funds would be available to support [WIC’s] clinical services, food benefits and administrative costs. States may have some funds available from infant formula rebates or other sources, including spendforward authority, to continue operations for a week or so, but States would likely be unable to sustain operations for a longer period. Contingency funds will be available to help States – but even this funding would not fully mitigate a shortfall for the entire month of October.”
In other words, the USA just told hundreds of thousands of mothers in need; “Tough luck, ladies.”
So I emailed my friend Rachael who used to work a non-profit geared toward helping WIC participants (among other things). I asked her what I could do to help. This is what she told me;
“Every state has different policies and will handle the disaster differently. The hope is that administrators have already collated a list of alternative resources to give to people, mostly private food banks and churches. Unfortunately, even if less than half of participants can access a local resource, it is unlikely that those places will be able to keep up with demand to cover the margins. Rural areas will be hurt the most as it will be difficult for moms to physically access the resources needed. Spending $10 on gas to go to a food pantry across the county just to pick up $12 in food staples doesn’t make sense. The honest truth is that they will most likely do without.”
As I read Rachael’s email this morning, I was on the couch watching a popular morning news show interview a guy. This guy was upset with the shutdown because he would not be able to make his annual trek to a national park to witness the mating calls of elks. Elks y’all. This is what the media wants to talk about. Skewed priorities like this are why politicians think we are not paying attention (which, we aren’t) and why they can pull crap like shutting down the government (which, they did). I digress.
So what can we do?
Well, people are hungry…let’s feed them. A lot of us make donations to local food pantries around Thanksgiving – let’s bump it up and do it now.
Better yet, let’s find a local food bank, call them, ask them what they need most, then let’s buy it or figure out a way to get it for them.
Let’s volunteer to spend a Saturday at a food bank warehouse, sorting and assembling boxes to be distributed to smaller food pantries and/or delivery routes in rural areas. Let’s bring our kids and our co-workers too, while we are at it.
Let’s go on Twitter and Facebook and tell people what and where help is needed. Be specific about it. “The church on Second Street is low on infant formula and peanut butter – can you help?”
Let’s skip takeout this week and donate the difference to an anti-hunger organization. Look here – there are hundreds of them. In general, food pantries can buy much more food with money than goods (Feeding America reports $1 = 8 meals)…but any help would be appreciated.
Let’s remember that we are all frustrated by this shutdown, but there are, really, only a few dozen people who have the ability to do anything about it. While they are busy being hostile and ineffective, let’s start cleaning up their mess and look out for each other. We are American. We are women. This is what we do best.
WIC helped me feed my kids (and myself since I was breast feeding) while I was working my way through nursing school, it is an awesome program. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, I’m off to figure out what I can do!
That’s awesome! I'[m glad the WIC program helped you and now you are helping too. Full circle!
Thank You! This “shutdown” has been like a punch to the gut, in our community..
The Federal Government is THE Largest employer in out city of 100,000.
This overnight halt income for 40% of our residents will be devastating,
for them and everyone else. One Border Patrol person told me at the drug store
” Tomorrow I start working for free”. In the next weeks
he will not be able to pay for prescriptions, food, or anything else.
I rant, but it will not only be poor women this will hurt, but my neighbors!
Unfucking, believable!!!
And my neighbors, including Border Patrol are also on reduced lunch and WIC!!!
Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. So many will be feeling the pain of this for weeks, if not months, after things go “back to normal.”
Actually, so far they are only shutting down NON-essential gov’t programs. Like state parks(for example)… welfare and social security are not considered non-essential.
Actually, my local WIC clinic is already closed (I know because I called this morning and got the message). As are many others according to social media. Some offices will stay open with state funding or be able to wait out a while longer, but yes, this is happening.
Anonymous – You’re right that Welfare, Medicare and Social Security are not being affected, but WIC for some crazy reason is considered non-essential and it most certainly is shut down.
To clarify, essential employees such as Border Patrol will be expected to report to work, but their pay will be delayed. http://www.usa.gov/shutdown.shtml
Both my sisters relied on temporary wic assistance when they had their kids. I don’t know where they would be without that help. And one was even married at the time too so I don’t even want to think where all the single moms would be right now. I’m sending this to them so we can all help. Thanks for this.
Thank you, Aunt Peaches.
Thank you, Aunt Peaches.
I love the beautiful focus of this post, my dear. Thanks for not going into the details of the mess or pointing fingers at one side or the other. Let’s just help in a targeted way – what a wonderful way to respond to something that makes us feel helpless. Off to do some food bankin’!
I completely agree!
Well I just have to send out a great big thank you to the news media for dumbing down the real issues to the Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty level of intelligence and featuring a story on some idiots moose viewing disappointment. Cuz we all know that the government shutdown is just a big joke! Who gives a crap if a few moms and kids have to go without food? It’s the tax paying moose viewers who will really suffer!
thank you for putting this in real perspective, at the moment I am a bit speechless… I feel pretty much WTH. xo Tracy Lynn
I really love this post. My boyfriend and I work at a (closed) national park, and while I do wish that guy could come in, watch elks, and spend his money so our hourly employees can work, I know it’s now time to focus on helping those in dire need. My boyfriend will lose his hours at work until this is all over, but we’ve committed to curtailing our spending so that we can help out financially in our community. It’s so great that you’re spreading the word. I’ll pass this post along. x
Excellent point. And I wish that guy could watch the elks too! Elks are great. I don’t blame him for being peeved. I’m just disappointed that a major television network couldn’t rustle up a better example of how this thing will effect people in real ways — you and your boyfriend being two prime examples. If we want change we have to change the conversation first. The more people talking about it in terms of action, not bitterness, the better.
Peaches,….amen…
And yet we would have found the money to jump into another war. Ugh. I’m an avid follower of political happenings, and yet I can’t bring myself to read much this week so far, my rage-o-meter starts creeping into the red. Your suggestions are wonderful and a good thing to focus on, rather than the collective of blivets running this country, most of whom I think could use a good kick in the balls.
As a DC native, this is affecting family members who aren’t considered essential. One of my clients who does domestic violence work gets most of their funding from the feds – they can’t draw any more funds after Friday; they and other nonprofits who depend on federal funding will not be able to pay their employees or continue important programs if this continues for any length of time….
Just an FYI – food banks can use money more than canned goods as they buy in bulk. I learned this when I was a Finance Director for a direct services nonprofit in DC…..but either way, donate – it’s a damn shame that kids are still going hungry in this country….
Politics don’t matter when people are hungry, hurting, and in need…do they. Alot of people are going to be in greater need and distress. I’m glad to help, and thanks so much for speaking up!
Is there anything that people in other countries can do to help?
That’s a great question, Shayne. Real sweet of you to ask too. I suspect right now the best thing is to make a donation to a food bank and hold a good thought for everyone feeling the impact. People here are so burned out they don’t want to acknowledge the reality ahead…it will take a couple of weeks for the domino effect to build momentum.
I saw the same news clip. What a crock of crap.
Kudos! Excellent post!
from France, this shutdown is incredible, some well and high placed people don’t care about the wellness of billions of humans being, it’s reaaly distressing….bravo to all the goodwill and voluntary to help people eat and meet ends!
vive Peaches!! such a great initiative!! bravo! hold on!!
Céline
if it wasnt for wic, i dont know how we would have eaten at times. And while that was happening, my husband was serving in the military. I will check with my local food bank, and put a shout out on fb. bless you for bringing this to our attention.
I love how you are able to put these actions into focus for many of us…. like many above, I have avoided the news because it just pisses me off to no end, but this gives me some direction. And as a former client of WIC who would not have been able to feed my son at times without them, THIS is definitely something I can get behind.
Thanks Peaches!
Bless you, Peaches. I posted your blog on Facebook and they wrote a check to our food bank.
You go, Miss P!
Gotta share what the good folks (my sister Becky and her husband Brian Reichert) at bad Vegan in Astoria, Oregon are doing to help the needy. Every Sunday night, they take whatever is (unused-fresh) leftover from bV to a neighbor. She takes a few things that she can use out of and then delivers the rest to the Astoria Rescue Mission. Our leftover opened carrots go to a friends horses for treats. Nothing goes to waste.
Last week they had a bunch of extra burgers cooked up. Their daughter was visiting bad Vegan and Becky said “I wish a homeless person would come up right now and I could give these to them”. Honestly about a minute later, a regular bV customer, a vegan who is currently living out of her van, stopped by with a message about a birthday party. They gave the burgers to her and she was SO happy & grateful Good things are coming from bV. They are truly feeding peoples hearts and souls. That makes them really, really happy. Just had to share. I am so proud of them. They are being the change.
Hey Aunt Peaches,
I sent a check along with a copy of this blog to our local food bank and got the nicest hand written letter back from the director. She will be sharing. I’d love to send you a copy of the letter. How can that be accomplished?
Dianne
Hi Dianne! I am so glad to hear you reached out to help. I would be delighted to read the letter if you have time to forward my way. This is my address: Aunt Peaches
332 S. Michigan Ave
Ste 1032 #A987
Chicago, IL 60604-4434
USA