United Way offers aid to furloughed government employees

As the partial federal government shutdown edged toward its 25th day, officials at the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania urged government employees facing financial difficulties to contact its 2-1-1 services for assistance.

Some 800,000 federal employees across the nation have been furloughed or ordered to work without pay and thousands of government contractors have gone without pay as the stalemate over funding for President Trump’s Mexican border wall goes on with no end in sight.

Already last week union leaders representing some 7,000 federal workers in Western Pennsylvania asked credit unions and mortgage companies to cut furloughed government employees a break. Those same employees missed a paycheck when the government failed to reopen last Friday and don’t know when they will see their next paycheck.

A spokesman for the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, which serves individuals and families in Allegheny, Butler, Westmoreland, Fayette and southern Armstrong counties, said the agency is prepared to help families affected by the shutdown.

“Our resource navigators can help connect individuals and families with food pantries, health care services, tax prep assistance, utility and eviction prevention assistance and more. Emergency financial assistance may be available,” a United Way spokesman said.

Those seeking assistance can text 898-211, dial 2-1-1 or visit PA211sw.org.

The Associated Press reported late Tuesday afternoon that a bill by House Democrats that would have opened the government through Feb. 1 failed to get the two-thirds vote it needed to advance.

The bill was one of two that Democrats proposed this week to end the partial government shutdown which began Dec. 22. The second bill would reopen federal agencies through Feb. 28.

House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-NY, said the shutdown is creating pain and misery for families, businesses and communities across the nation.

She said the Democratic bills would end the shutdown while allowing time for bipartisan talks on border security.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Deb Erdley is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Deb at 724-850-1209, derdley@tribweb.com or via Twitter @deberdley_trib.