Shutdown strain: US economy reels under layoffs and lost pay; food banks, small firms struggle to cope

Washington’s economy is facing deepening distress as the longest-ever US government shutdown, mass layoffs of federal workers, and cuts to food assistance converge to hit households and small businesses across the capital region, AP reported.The Capital Area Food Bank, which supports more than 400 pantries and aid organisations across the District of Columbia, northern Virginia, and two Maryland counties, is preparing to provide 8 million more meals than planned this year — a nearly 20% increase.“This city has been hit especially hard because of the sequence of events that has occurred over the course of this year,” said Radha Muthiah, CEO and president of the food bank.The nation’s capital, home to roughly 150,000 federal employees, has been reeling from layoffs, the shutdown, and heightened law enforcement deployment. With the shutdown halting pay for hundreds of thousands of workers and freezing federal food aid, the economic strain has intensified.The District’s unemployment rate stood at 6% in September, one of the highest in the nation, compared with the US average of 4.3%.

Economists warn that the regional impact of the shutdown will persist well after federal operations resume.Political reverberations are also being felt: Democrat Abigail Spanberger’s win in Virginia’s governor’s race was fuelled in part by her focus on the economic fallout of President Donald Trump’s policies on the region.Local businesses see sales fall, jobs vanishWashington’s restaurants, bars, and small retailers — heavily reliant on federal employees’ spending — have reported steep drops in sales.

The Restaurant Association of Greater Washington said many eateries already operating on thin margins are now struggling to stay afloat as federal staff skip commutes and dining out.“Going without paychecks is causing cash flow issues for federal workers, and that’s spilling over into small businesses,” said Tracy Hadden Loh, a fellow at Brookings Metro, quoted AP. “A lot of businesses rely on higher spending in Q4 to stay profitable for the year.”At The Queen Vic, a British pub in northeast Washington, co-owner Ryan Gordon said weekend crowds have halved. “We still had seats for people, which means the bars around us who get our overflow got nothing,” he said, estimating business is down 50% since the shutdown began.Families under pressure as aid stallsThe financial strain is also pushing middle-income families into crisis. Thea Price, a former employee of the US Institute of Peace, lost her job in March, followed by her husband’s job loss as a government contractor.After relying on SNAP food assistance and savings, the couple’s payments were halted by the shutdown. With limited options left, Price is leaving Washington for her hometown near Seattle.“We can’t afford to stay in the area any longer and hope something might pan out,” she said. “We’re just in a much different place than when these things started.”At the Capital Area Food Bank, forklifts are running overtime to meet growing demand. “We’re focused on getting food to those who need it,” Muthiah said. “But people are borrowing against their futures to pay for basic necessities today.”