On October 1, 2025, the United States federal government declared a shutdown order due to Congress’ failure to pass a federal budget for the coming fiscal year. Republicans and Democrats stood on their sides with many disagreements. A report from Politico explained, “The pressure for party unity is high, as deadlines loom for the next round of political battles”. The White House website posted a “Government Shutdown Clock” that stated, “Democrats Shut Down the Government for a Record of 43 Days,” and with other partisan lines such as “Americans Don’t Agree with Democrats’ Actions.” With the shutdown many crises arose, creating fear and anxiety for many Americans. Many wondered how much their lives would be impacted.
Some “essential” federal workers, like air traffic controllers and TSA agents or medical personnel at VA hospitals, were asked to continue working without pay during the shutdown; while other federal agencies and programs sent their employees home until the shutdown ended. This had an abundant effect on many sectors of our country. Federal welfare benefit such as SNAP and EBT were affected during late October and early November of this year. State funding faced interruptions as well. Other federal agencies like the FDA were put on hold, temporarily shut down or delayed until the government could resume.
Amidst the government shutdown, there were many questions rising, with many Americans growing worried and tired. “How will I support my family?”, some may have wondered. “Will my children have to go hungry?” “How will my benefits be affected?” These were just a few common and critical questions that were circling the minds of families in a time of crisis and uncertainty. Many families turned to community and state programs for critical resources like food and clothing. Food banks and church programs around the country reported an all time high of requests for help.
In Chandler Unified School District, a local elementary school opened their cafeteria doors to help families in need. Hartford Elementary hosted free lunch events on weekends to feed hungry children and youth. Lunch service was open to anyone age 18 and under, regardless of whether they attended a CUSD school or not. The event was hosted several weekends in the month of November in Hartford’s cafeteria.
English Language Development teacher Ms. Jasmine Davis is always looking out for her students’ well-being both on and off campus. Davis worked hard to advertise the free lunch event to students and staff and share other resources for any students in need. She also works to support students both inside and outside the school district, helping teens who have been affected by recent immigration enforcement policies or who otherwise struggle at home. One program that she reminds students, families, and staff about regularly is CUSD’s FIT, or Families in Transition, program. FIT helps students and families who may be struggling with finances or housing. Davis explained, “It doesn’t always mean to be physically homeless… A lot of my students are ‘in transition’ because they’re here without their parents.”
Davis explained how she works very closely with employees at the district to support students who quality for FIT. “Our FIT specialist helps my students whether it’s paying for class fees, classes like IB, or groceries. She also gives them gift cards” for buying essential items, Davis said. FIT can help connect students to clothes closets and food pantries that provide students with important supplies, help them sign up for government assistance, and even offers scholarships to support students as they continue their education. In her own classroom closet, Ms. Davis keeps a small supply of clothes and snacks for students as well.
The longest federal government shutdown in US history officially ended on November 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump signed a new funding bill that had been passed by the House earlier that evening. Although this shutdown is over, the potential for future “funding cliffs” as soon as January 2026 means that many Americans may find themselves on unsure financial footing for some time.
