Resources for All Residents Impacted by Federal Government Shutdown

Montgomery County Government is committed to supporting our residents during the federal government shutdown. This page brings together key federal, state, and local resources to help impacted federal employees, contractors, and their families access financial assistance, employment services, housing protections, food support, and more.

We will continue updating this page as new resources become available.

Mobilize Montgomery

A coalition of Montgomery County Government and partners to support Maryland businesses and employees affected by federal budget cuts.

State of Maryland Resources

Federal Shutdown Loan Programs

  • Federal Shutdown Loan Program
    • For “excepted” federal employees required to work without pay. Offers a zero-interest $700 loan to cover essential expenses while awaiting back pay.
  • Federal Worker Emergency Loan Program
    • For federal employees laid off during the shutdown. Eligible Maryland residents may apply for a zero-interest $700 loan if facing financial hardship.
    • Learn more and apply

Unemployment Benefits

Financial Relief Through Credit Unions and Banks

  • Maryland credit unions may offer emergency low-interest loans, penalty-free withdrawals, loan payment deferrals, 0% APR short-term credit lines, auto loan refinancing, and higher credit card limits.
  • Maryland Chartered Banks may also offer emergency loans, payment deferrals, increased credit limits, and penalty-free CD withdrawals.
Contact your financial institution directly for information on available options during the shutdown.

Access to Federal and State Programs

The State of Maryland is working to ensure major programs continue to operate and will provide updates as the shutdown evolves. Full details.

Maryland Department of Human Services

  • Nutrition assistance (SNAP, SUN Bucks).
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
  • Energy assistance (MEAP).
  • Child welfare-related services (foster care, guardianship, adoption, child abuse/neglect investigations).

Maryland Department of Health

  • Medicaid coverage and waiver services.
  • Inpatient care at state facilities.
  • Public health programs (respiratory virus vaccinations, food safety monitoring)
  • WIC will operate for a short period after the shutdown.

Department of Housing & Community Development

  • Section 8, HUD-VASH vouchers, and Continuum of Care assistance will continue during a short-term shutdown.
  • Participants must continue paying their share of rent

Maryland State Department of Education

  • Child Care Scholarship Program continues uninterrupted.
  • Head Start programs have state support to maintain services.

Housing, Utilities & Consumer Protections

Eviction and Foreclosure Protections

Under Maryland law (Real Property §§ 7-105.1 and 8-401), involuntarily furloughed federal employees may ask courts to temporarily pause eviction or foreclosure proceedings during a shutdown.
  • Applies to current federal employees who live in the property, are unpaid, and attend hearings.
  • Courts may pause proceedings up to 30 days beyond the shutdown’s end.
  • These protections apply to federal, state, and local employees, but not contractors.

Utility Protections

Under Maryland’s Public Utilities Article (§ 7-307.4):

  • Gas and electric companies cannot cut off service beginning on the 8th day of a shutdown through 7 days after it ends.
  • Federal employees must notify their provider, verify furlough status, and agree to a payment plan.

WSSC Water Relief

  • Suspended service turnoffs for impacted federal employees
  • Waived late fees
  • Extended enrollment in “Get Current” program through Nov. 30, 2025
  • PromisePay flexible, interest-free payment plans available
Read WSSC Water’s full announcement

Pepco Expanded Support

Pepco is offering relief options for customers impacted by the shutdown:
  • Flexible payment plans up to 12 months
  • Waivers of late fees in 30-day increments
  • Streamlined verification, no government ID required
  • Up to $300 in bill relief for eligible customers through the Customer Relief Fund (MD: pepco.com/ReliefMD | DC: pepco.com/ReliefDC)
  • Additional options such as Gift of Energy, high-usage alerts, and energy efficiency incentives
Contact Pepco Customer Care at 202-833-7500 or visit the website.

Employment Resources

Crisis Intervention, Health, and Insurance

  • Montgomery County Crisis Center is open 24 hours a day for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Mobile Crisis Team support is also available.
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is open for calls, texts, or chats offering skilled, confidential conversations.
  • ACCESS to Behavioral Health Services Program provides mental health and substance use disorder screening and referrals.

Maryland Health Connection is the state’s official health insurance marketplace.

  • If you have lost health coverage from your job, you have 60 days to apply if not enrolled in COBRA.
  • All plans cover essential health benefits including doctor visits, prescriptions, preventive care, mental health services, and emergency care.
  • Plans are available from Aetna, CareFirst, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare, and Wellpoint.
Visit the website

Food Resources

As of midnight on September 30th, the federal government has shut down as Congress has not passed a full-year appropriations bill or a continuing resolution.

This  affects all programs dependent on annual appropriations, including SNAP. While past shutdowns (such as the one in 2018) largely left SNAP and WIC services uninterrupted, this situation is different because it begins at the start of a new fiscal year. With no budget in place yet, funding gaps may create more immediate challenges for these programs.  The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR) is closely following developments and we will continue to  update our website and communicate to community partners as more information becomes available. OFSR's  County Council briefing on October 14 th  provides a thorough overview of the impacts of the shutdown and federal budget changes on our local food system ( view the Council staff report here).

What this means for SNAP and WIC Participants 

  • SNAP: October SNAP benefits have already been issued, so participants should not experience disruptions in the short term. It is still unclear how benefits would be administered in November if the shutdown extends beyond mid-October. USDA could use its contingency reserve funds to cover SNAP costs. Under the previous administration, this reserve totaled $6 billion, but it is unclear how much remains or whether the current administration would choose to use it.  
  • WIC: Normally, WIC continues operating during shutdowns. However, because states have not yet received fiscal year 2026 funding, operations could look different this time. States may rely on contingency funds or carryover funds from last year to keep WIC services running. In mid-October, the federal government made additional funds available to provide support for WIC benefit payments, which are expected to last through the end of October.  

For now,  participants should continue applying for benefits and using their benefits as usual, while staying tuned for updates on the status of November benefits. The eligibility and benefit calculation changes to SNAP resulting from the OBBBA will take effect on November 1 for all recertifications and new applications.  

Resources for furloughed Federal Workers and other Montgomery County Residents seeking support 

Montgomery County offers a wide network of food assistance resources, including: 

  • Montgomery County Food Resources Page : A comprehensive hub with details on food distributions, meal delivery services, and SNAP enrollment, including an updated  calendar of food distributions.  Please note that some locations have limited resources available and may require a prescheduled appointment. Check the calendar listing or call ahead for more information. 
  • OFSR’s Food Assistance Flowchart:  Available in English, Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, French, Korean, and Vietnamese.  
  • Food Assistance Resources Map : An interactive, searchable directory of 100+ food distribution sites across the County, with filters for location, accessibility, and type of assistance.  
  • Capital Area Food Bank Distributions : Free, weekly distributions for federal workers and contractors: Wednesdays from 10am – 11:30am at So What Else: 6001 Executive Blvd, North Bethesda, MD 20852. To receive food at this distribution, visitors will need to show a government ID (employee or contractor).
  • FARMS applications : School meals are free for students in Montgomery County who qualify for Free and Reduced-price Meals. New enrollments are accepted at any time for families experiencing a change in income.  
  • SUN Bucks : Although SUN Bucks applications are closed, unused SUN Bucks benefits start to expire in October. Make sure to check card balances and use benefits before it’s too late!  
  • Resource Navigation Support:
  • OFSR Programs:  OFSR has a number of programs in the community that support residents seeking food assistance, including  Nutrition Benefits Outreach and  Food as Medicine grantee organizations.

Montgomery County Government Resources

  • Food Assistance: Montgomery County Food Council’s Online Food Assistance Resource Directory lists more than 100 food sites, searchable by location and accessibility
  • Mobilize Montgomery: Joint initiative with Maryland Department of Labor, WorkSource Montgomery, and local partners to provide workforce programs, financial assistance, and job fairs.
  • Child Care: For help finding child care, use LOCATE: Child Care, which provides free, personalized resource and referral counseling

Federal and State Resource Pages

We Are Here for You. Use MC311 online anytime or call the MC311 Customer Service Center, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Within Montgomery County: 311
  • From anywhere: 240-777-0311
  • MD Relay: 7-1-1