“My whole family has been affected.”
Melissa says her family has been struggling since she lost her job in February. She briefly received unemployment and SNAP benefits, but the government shutdown cut off her benefits after only a month. Her husband and stepson are both disabled, and their small monthly checks barely cover basic bills. Despite applying for many jobs, Melissa has been turned down repeatedly. She blames Trump and the government shutdown for withholding emergency funds, saying her family is surviving mostly on her husband’s limited healthcare card benefits.