From the moment he entered Kyle H-E-B Jan. 22 with a grocery list clutched in hand, Ruben made it his mission to seek every available yellow coupon he could find.
Like most families, Ruben and his wife know every little bit counts. That now means so much more for the duo who are both furloughed federal employees.
“When I was watching the news when it happened, I knew this would be different. I’m not pointing the finger at anyone. A lot of people are to blame. But we are being held hostage and used as pawns. Our leaders cannot find solutions and we are left to suffer.”
–Ruben, a government employee
While partial government shutdowns are nothing new to Ruben – he’s lived through five of them since the 1990s – the latest, which is now the longest in U.S. history, leaves him and his family fearful for the future.
They’re two of the roughly 800,000 federal employees who have gone without pay for the last month and are struggling to ensure they can make ends meet.
“I’ve been through five shutdowns, but nothing like this. When I was watching the news when it happened, I knew this would be different,” Ruben said. “I’m not pointing the finger at anyone. A lot of people are to blame. But we are being held hostage and used as pawns. Our leaders cannot find solutions and we are left to suffer.”
Since the shutdown began Dec. 22, Ruben and his wife have filed for unemployment, desperate for any help they can receive from the government. The money they have from the last paycheck they received is strictly for groceries and bills. As a couple, they have sat down and crunched numbers.
Which bills must paid soon and which can they hold off on are questions they regularly try to answer. The family also have to account for around $83,000 in outstanding student loans.
As the shutdown lingers, Ruben said his colleagues are suffering psychologically, anxiously waiting at home for some hope. The brain begins to linger on frightening thoughts, he said. Confidence begins to dwindle. Finances are running low and the days seem like months.
Amid the uncertainty, area organizations and entities are stepping in to help federal employees stay on their feet. But those organizations are also starting to see the shutdown’s impact as well.
Mallory Best, Hays County Food Bank coordinator, said the organization has received an influx of individuals who are in need of assistance since the start of 2019.
“For confidentiality, we do not specifically ask what brings people to the food bank, but some citizens have told us it is because of the government shutdown,” Best said. “It can be difficult for people, especially those who are employed, to receive these services.”
Best said the food bank’s staff is working around the clock to ensure new clients receive the food they need.
Diana Woods with the Buda United Methodist Church said they have seen an increase in federal employees seeking services from its food pantry.
"I am a retired government employee myself," Woods said. "I know it's hard. I know it's scary. But we are working to help these people in any way we can."
The church is asking residents to donate food and funding to assist furloughed federal workers during the shutdown.
Other entities are also trying to help impacted federal workers. Kyle city officials announced it was offering an in-place utility billing deferment program to federal employees. The program allows city utility customers to defer bills on a temporary basis.
Ruben said his mortgage, phone and internet bills are currently deferred by the carriers as a result of the shutdown.
However, Ruben said his bills for some utility companies, such as water from Aqua Texas and electricity from Pedernales Electric Cooperative, have not been deferred at this time.
Donna Alston, Aqua America director of communications, said the company does not have a specific deferment plan in place for federal employees. However, officials encourage all Aqua customers who might be experiencing financial difficulties to contact their respective call centers in order to make payment arrangements, Alston said.
In Buda, officials work with customers to set up payment plans in the event of financial hardship, said David Marino, Buda public information officer.
Pedernales Electric Cooperative officials said they are working with individual members as they contact them at this time.
Ultimately, Ruben, who comes from a family of war veterans and federal employees, said residents need to “rethink our priorities” and hold elected officials accountable.
Frustrations have now turned to anger as he and many others wait for a resolution that might not happen soon.
“As a country, we are more divided than I have ever seen,” Ruben said. “All I’m asking is for some change. There must be another way we can come together and find a solution that does not negotiate with peoples lives.”
But for now, Ruben left the H-E-B parking lot with his groceries and a smile.
He’s lived through five shutdowns before. His family will get through this one, too.
