The federal government employs an estimated 30,000 people in the Kansas City region. So when there’s a government shutdown, those individuals can be subjected to furloughs, layoffs, or working without pay—for weeks.
Mariah W. works for the IRS office near Union Station in Kansas City, Mo. She hadn’t been into the office in a while, because she was on family medical leave to support her child. But on October 9th, she got a call telling her to log off of her computer and not come back until the government shutdown was resolved.
“I only got a partial payment for this pay period, and ever since then I’ve been struggling,” Mariah said. “I’ve just been waiting on the phone call that the government is fully opening back up so I can get back to work.”
Mariah is a single mom to a 16-year-old and five-year-old. Her younger son suffers from chronic asthma.
“Right now, I can’t get his medicine. I don’t even have $5 to pay for it. Food’s running out. Bills are piling up. I don’t know what to do,” she said.
Desperate for help, Mariah called United Way 211. Thanks to generous community support, Mariah was awarded a $1,000 prepaid debit card. United Way’s debit card initiative is currently in its third round. In 2025, the program has supported more than 600 households, with an average of $915 in aid awarded to help individuals meet urgent financial needs. While there is no restriction on how dollars can be spent, recipients have largely used the assistance to cover rent, utilities, food, car repairs, childcare, and medical costs.
“I broke down crying. When you don’t know when the next meal is coming—Thanksgiving is coming—how am I going to feed my kids?” Mariah said. “You’re thinking–get groceries or pay a bill? I’ve got to pay the bills. I’ve got to eat. So I’m making a lot of sacrifices.”
She’s turning to her family and faith to get through and is thankful for the outpouring of community support through efforts like SNAP Into Action.
“God bless them. It’s going to come back to them tenfold,” said Mariah. “I appreciate everything and so do my kids. It means the world to us.”
To help ensure families have help when they need it most, consider making a year-end gift to United Way.