Volunteers across the United States have stepped in to support their communities during a prolonged government shutdown that has limited access to federal services. Local initiatives, often organized by individuals or small groups, are providing essential assistance where it is most needed.
In Pensacola, Florida, four women met in late October and quickly established Pensacola Grocery Buddies. The group matches people affected by uncertainty over Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits with donors who help cover grocery costs and deliveries. In just two weeks, they matched over 300 pairs and raised more than $10,000 for those without direct connections.
“Everybody’s stepping up,” said Hale Morrissette, operations director at ROOTS, a local health nonprofit. “They know that this is not something that’s like a partisan type of issue. It’s about service and it’s about taking care of each other.”
The shutdown has led volunteers nationwide to fill roles typically managed by government workers. At the Oklahoma City National Memorial, volunteers have been giving tours usually conducted by National Park Service rangers now on furlough. The memorial commemorates the 168 victims of the 1995 bombing outside a federal building.
Pat Hall, a memorial trustee and state lobbyist whose wife survived the attack, expressed his motivation: “The rest of our life was to give, not take,” he said. “My wife survived a bombing. I have to give back.” Fellow trustee Sara Sweet added: “We have to lift each other up… Because the need is so great. No matter what sector or what aspect of our communities we’re looking at.”
After years of declining volunteer rates for nonprofits nationwide, many individuals are finding new ways to contribute outside traditional organizations. In Charlotte, North Carolina, Molly Kerrigan started her own version of Grocery Buddies after learning about similar efforts elsewhere. She noted that while food pantries remain important resources for those in need, they are currently overwhelmed.
“With all of the uncertainty during the government shutdown and everything, it’s easy to feel like you don’t have a sense of agency,” Kerrigan said. She described her program as “something that you can do that’s right in front of you.”
Anna Culbertson co-founded 27 UNIHTED—a network supporting alumni from the National Institutes of Health—after being laid off from her job as part of mass reductions at major health agencies earlier this year. During the shutdown, her group organized food drives for federal employees without paychecks and compiled information on available assistance for furloughed workers.
“We’re not professional organizers,” Culbertson explained regarding these new efforts among NIH alumni. “For me and the NIH cohort, we’re scientists. We’re people who care and help a lot.”
At Norte Vista High School in Riverside, California—a school known for its civic engagement—students increased their meal preparation work as families struggled with food insecurity due to threatened cuts in federal assistance programs under current policies.
School principal Jason Marquez said local businesses were joining students in delivering meals through an initiative called Thanksgiving Hands this holiday season.
Community schools coordinator Jaymee O’Rafferty emphasized how much families rely on extra support: “Our students are the ones where if they have 10 cans in their pantry, they’re gonna bring five to donate… If everybody is able to come together and share a little, it makes a huge difference.”
Even as lawmakers discuss reopening government operations soon, demand for community-based aid remains high according to Morrissette in Pensacola; she observed that many seeking help were already struggling before SNAP benefit delays began.
Pensacola Grocery Buddies plans an upcoming fundraiser called Neighbors’ Night Out on November 15th aimed at meeting ongoing needs within their community.
“We’re gonna dance and we’re gonna talk and we’re gonna sing,” Morrissette said about bringing people together for support despite challenging circumstances. “We need joy in this world that tells us we shouldn’t have hope.”
