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Matthew Konfirst, Physical Scientist; Kathrina Konfirst, Training Officer at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Matt Konfirst
02of 08Joseph Calderone, Meteorologist, NWS Employees Organization Vice-Steward; Chanhassen, MinnesotaCourtesy Joseph CalderoneCalderone, 44, is an exempt employee who currently has to work without pay. “The National Weather Service (NWS) issues severe weather warnings so our jobs can be stressful enough without the added pressure of not knowing when our next paycheck will come,” Calderone told PEOPLE. “We are on 24/7 and work in rotating shifts, which makes it even harder to find extra work on the side during this shutdown. We’ve got married couples who are now without two incomes and multiple forecasters with families with children who are ages 3 and younger. It’s very frustrating and demoralizing. We feel like pawns in a political game.”
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Joseph Calderone, Meteorologist, NWS Employees Organization Vice-Steward; Chanhassen, Minnesota
Courtesy Joseph Calderone
Calderone, 44, is an exempt employee who currently has to work without pay. “The National Weather Service (NWS) issues severe weather warnings so our jobs can be stressful enough without the added pressure of not knowing when our next paycheck will come,” Calderone told PEOPLE. “We are on 24/7 and work in rotating shifts, which makes it even harder to find extra work on the side during this shutdown. We’ve got married couples who are now without two incomes and multiple forecasters with families with children who are ages 3 and younger. It’s very frustrating and demoralizing. We feel like pawns in a political game.”
03of 08Carol Weber, Supervisory Missions Support Specialist; Selfridge ANGB, MichiganCourtesy Carol WeberWeber, 57, a furloughed employee who works for U.S. Customs & Border Protection, Air & Marine Operations, directly oversees five mission support personnel and is responsible for all support areas for an 88 member branch. “I feel helpless because I know a lot of the employees are making zero income, while trying to support themselves or their young families,” Weber told PEOPLE. “They’re mostly pilots and almost all of them are military so they have a tremendous sense of duty and loyalty to this country. It’s really difficult to watch them suffer because they don’t deserve it. Coming from an insider’s perspective, I don’t think the general public really understands how much of a mess we’re in.”
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Carol Weber, Supervisory Missions Support Specialist; Selfridge ANGB, Michigan
Courtesy Carol Weber
Weber, 57, a furloughed employee who works for U.S. Customs & Border Protection, Air & Marine Operations, directly oversees five mission support personnel and is responsible for all support areas for an 88 member branch. “I feel helpless because I know a lot of the employees are making zero income, while trying to support themselves or their young families,” Weber told PEOPLE. “They’re mostly pilots and almost all of them are military so they have a tremendous sense of duty and loyalty to this country. It’s really difficult to watch them suffer because they don’t deserve it. Coming from an insider’s perspective, I don’t think the general public really understands how much of a mess we’re in.”
04of 08Mark McDonald, Instructional Systems Specialist, Homeland Security; Brunswick, GeorgiaMark McDonaldThis isn’t the first time McDonald, 39, has been furloughed during his 15 years of service but this time feels different. “We have a president who doesn’t understand what the average person goes through so I feel like this is being done for all the wrong reasons and he’s playing with people’s lives,” McDonald tells PEOPLE. With a savings account that can only last him about two months, McDonald is trying to stay positive but the anxiety he feels is starting to grow. “Folks’ livelihoods should not be played with for political gain,” McDonald added. “It’s inhuman.”
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Mark McDonald, Instructional Systems Specialist, Homeland Security; Brunswick, Georgia
Mark McDonald
This isn’t the first time McDonald, 39, has been furloughed during his 15 years of service but this time feels different. “We have a president who doesn’t understand what the average person goes through so I feel like this is being done for all the wrong reasons and he’s playing with people’s lives,” McDonald tells PEOPLE. With a savings account that can only last him about two months, McDonald is trying to stay positive but the anxiety he feels is starting to grow. “Folks’ livelihoods should not be played with for political gain,” McDonald added. “It’s inhuman.”
05of 08Mallory Lorge, Administrative Assistant in Human Resources, Department of the Interior; River Falls, WisconsinMariah Delich PhotographyLorge, a 31-year-old newlywed, has had to ration the insulin she needs for her Type 1 diabetes due to the government shutdown. She can’t afford the $300 copay to buy a new supply. When her blood sugar rose to dangerously high levels in early January, she ignored it. “I knew I couldn’t afford an ambulance ride, I couldn’t afford to be in the emergency room,” Lorge tells PEOPLE. “I said I am going to bed and I hope I wake up. I was pretty scared, I was like ‘I am going to die in my sleep.'”
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Mallory Lorge, Administrative Assistant in Human Resources, Department of the Interior; River Falls, Wisconsin
Mariah Delich Photography
Lorge, a 31-year-old newlywed, has had to ration the insulin she needs for her Type 1 diabetes due to the government shutdown. She can’t afford the $300 copay to buy a new supply. When her blood sugar rose to dangerously high levels in early January, she ignored it. “I knew I couldn’t afford an ambulance ride, I couldn’t afford to be in the emergency room,” Lorge tells PEOPLE. “I said I am going to bed and I hope I wake up. I was pretty scared, I was like ‘I am going to die in my sleep.'”
06of 08Donna Kelly, Security Guard for the Smithsonian; Washington, D.C.Courtesy of Julie Karant, 32BJ SEIUKelly, 63, makes little more than minimum wage, which just covers the rent for her Washington, D.C. subsidized apartment and other bills. “I’m real concerned,” says Kelly, a single great-grandmother going without pay. “I’m trying not to stress too much; it’s not good for my [blood] pressure.” In addition to worrying about how she will be able to afford medication for that condition, Kelly is anxious about the needed $50 co-pay to see a doctor or enough to pay her next insurance premium. She applied for food stamps, and while her application for unemployment benefits has been approved, she awaits her first check. “I have to work, I need to work,” Kelly says. “If I am not working I can’t provide for myself.”
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Donna Kelly, Security Guard for the Smithsonian; Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of Julie Karant, 32BJ SEIU
Kelly, 63, makes little more than minimum wage, which just covers the rent for her Washington, D.C. subsidized apartment and other bills. “I’m real concerned,” says Kelly, a single great-grandmother going without pay. “I’m trying not to stress too much; it’s not good for my [blood] pressure.” In addition to worrying about how she will be able to afford medication for that condition, Kelly is anxious about the needed $50 co-pay to see a doctor or enough to pay her next insurance premium. She applied for food stamps, and while her application for unemployment benefits has been approved, she awaits her first check. “I have to work, I need to work,” Kelly says. “If I am not working I can’t provide for myself.”
07of 08Julie Burr, Administrative Assistant Contract Worker, Department of Transportation; Kansas City, MissouriCourtesy of Julie BurrSingle mom Burr, 49, lives paycheck to paycheck, having no financial support after following the death of her children’s father from a heart attack in June. “This is really tough on us,” she tells PEOPLE. “We are really treading water here. I have had many tears over this but I can’t sit and dwell all day long.” Worried about how she would pay her rent, Burr is working part-time at Barnes & Noble to pay February’s rent and other bills. She alsoset up a GoFundMe, which has more than doubled her goal of $5,000. Says Burr of the donations: “It gives me faith in humanity.”
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Julie Burr, Administrative Assistant Contract Worker, Department of Transportation; Kansas City, Missouri
Courtesy of Julie Burr
Single mom Burr, 49, lives paycheck to paycheck, having no financial support after following the death of her children’s father from a heart attack in June. “This is really tough on us,” she tells PEOPLE. “We are really treading water here. I have had many tears over this but I can’t sit and dwell all day long.” Worried about how she would pay her rent, Burr is working part-time at Barnes & Noble to pay February’s rent and other bills. She alsoset up a GoFundMe, which has more than doubled her goal of $5,000. Says Burr of the donations: “It gives me faith in humanity.”
08of 08Kristie Scarazzo, Botanist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Ventura, CaliforniaCourtesy of Kristie ScarazzoScarazzo, a 45-year-old divorced single mom of a 4-year-old, drained her savings last September to move to Ventura for her dream job. “I thought I was making a wise choice working for the federal government,” she says, “one that is very secure.” Now Scarazzo is “trying not to freak out” as she grapples with going weeks without pay. “It’s really difficult,” she tells PEOPLE. “I do not know how I am going to pay the rest of my bills to get through the month. It’s ugly and unfortunate.”
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Kristie Scarazzo, Botanist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Ventura, California
Courtesy of Kristie Scarazzo
Scarazzo, a 45-year-old divorced single mom of a 4-year-old, drained her savings last September to move to Ventura for her dream job. “I thought I was making a wise choice working for the federal government,” she says, “one that is very secure.” Now Scarazzo is “trying not to freak out” as she grapples with going weeks without pay. “It’s really difficult,” she tells PEOPLE. “I do not know how I am going to pay the rest of my bills to get through the month. It’s ugly and unfortunate.”
source: people.com
