Beginning on Oct. 1, 2025, the United States Federal Government entered a shutdown under President Donald Trump. As the longest recorded U.S government shutdown, lasting over five weeks before it ended on Nov. 12, it has had significant effects on millions of people throughout the nation.The most notable groups affected were federal workers, recipients of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
During a government shutdown, government workers deemed non-essential are either laid off or furloughed. Government workers deemed essential, such as members of the military and air traffic controllers, are required to continue working without pay. Although the law requires that workers receive compensation after the shutdown ends, a large number of them did not show up to work when they weren’t being paid.
This shutdown has resulted in significant travel delays as airports suffer from severe staff shortages. Within the Marlborough community, these shortages have affected students as well. The debate team regularly travels to tournaments around the country and recently suffered a significant delay coming back from their tournament in Minnesota.
The Department of Education (DOE) is an example of a government program considered non-essential. Because many of the DOE workers have been furloughed during this time, students applying for the FAFSA have suffered the consequences.The FAFSA is a form families fill out to apply for financial aid, processed by the DOE, which notifies students of their eligibility and sets them up with funding. Although students have been able to continue submitting applications, the processing of these applications will be significantly delayed, according to Dean of Social Justice and Community Partnerships Pamela Wright. Because of this, students will have trouble accessing the financial aid they are eligible for.
“The trickle of effect of these delays will affect kids who are applying for college this year,” Wright said. “You get that acceptance letter to college, and that’s great. But if you can’t afford to go, then it doesn’t mean anything.”
Another significant impact of the government shutdown has been the suspension of SNAP benefits for families. SNAP is a federal program that provides monthly food benefits to low-income households to buy nutritious food. The government shutdown resulted in a pause and delay in November SNAP benefits, which caused widespread food insecurity. The government promises that those who haven’t received their November benefits will receive them within 24 hours of the shutdown ending. Additionally, over 1.5 million residents in Los Angeles County rely on the federal program, known as CalFresh in California.
“The ripple effects of friends and extended families who are not receiving CalFresh benefits touch everybody. Even if you don’t receive CalFresh benefits, any Angeleno that’s experiencing food insecurity, who’s unable to secure a meal, it affects us all,” Wright said.
Marlborough has been actively working to address this issue, specifically in the form of the annual Thanksgiving food drive. In addition to receiving food donations, Marlborough is working to make the event less transactional and more meaningful, in order to inform students about the significance of the current food crisis and the impact their donations have on the community.
“We can put a bucket outside and just collect food, that’s easy. But we want to inform classes about how there’s an actual food crisis right now,” Wright said. “It’s not about just bringing us a bag of rice because mom picked it up for you, but understanding where this bag of rice is going.”
