Standing quietly in a Washington parking lot, surrounded by hundreds of fellow federal employees waiting for food aid, 74-year-old Diane Miller voiced a question that has become all too common: “How am I gonna eat?”
For more than five decades, Miller has served her country in various government roles. Yet, today, she finds herself in a food line, flashing her government ID in exchange for boxes of fresh produce and pantry staples — a lifeline after her paycheck vanished with the government shutdown.
Since October 1, over 600,000 federal workers have been furloughed due to a political deadlock between Republicans and Democrats that has paralyzed the government. With no paychecks and bills piling up, many have turned to food banks and community charities for help.
“You have people that two weeks ago had a steady paycheck and normal lives,” said Dave Silbert, head of So What Else, the organization co-running the food drive. “Suddenly, the rug is pulled out from under them, and they find themselves in a food line.”
For Adrian, a 33-year tax law veteran, the reality is crushing. “We can barely make mortgage payments, utilities, cell phones — it’s a domino effect,” she said. “All those in Congress are still getting paid. If we don’t have a paycheck, they shouldn’t either.”
Across the country, stories like Diane’s and Adrian’s reveal the deep emotional toll of this crisis. Many describe sleepless nights, shame in asking for help, and the heartbreaking choice between rent and groceries.
Miller’s frustration runs deeper than lost income. As she pointed toward the ongoing US$250-million White House renovation, she questioned the nation’s priorities: “They’re building ballrooms while Americans can’t afford dinner. That’s not the country I served for 50 years.”
For her and thousands like her, this isn’t just a political impasse — it’s a personal collapse. It’s about dignity, survival, and the painful truth that those who serve the system are now abandoned by it.
In the end, Diane Miller summed it up with a heavy heart:
“We should be a proud country right now. Instead, I’m standing in line for food. I’m sad to be an American.”
