The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1. This creates a chain of long-lasting effects on the Purcellville residents and businesses.
This all started when Congress failed to agree on a fiscal budget for 2026. After the dispute, the government went on shutdown for the first time since the 35-day 2018-2019 shutdown under the first Trump administration.
Issues have arisen within the community, as many civilians are in government positions. This shutdown affects not only individual people in Purcellville, but also families, as they depend on these careers to feed their families.
An average household in Purcellville pays up to 160,000 dollars per year in expenses. A good portion of what these households pay comes from yearly salaries at careers. Changes in income conflict with those expenses.
“It’s affecting people in Purcellville a lot,” sophomore Tabitha McConnell said. “I know a lot of kids whose parents work for the government and are currently out of jobs.”
The economic factors don’t end at families, with civilians at lower incomes, restaurants, stores and small businesses accumulate less sales. This causes the possibility of smaller businesses facing rapid declines in profit if the shutdown continues.
A government shutdown may also postpone projects in Purcellville including roads and buildings.
“Purcellville’s economy is tied to the D.C. region,” DE Government teacher Kent Bailey said. “So when thousands of federal employees and contractors stop getting paid, local businesses feel it too,”
There is no doubt that small organizations are reaching extremely low financial points right now, causing businesses to be driven out due to competition.
“Restaurants, coffee shops and especially our nearby vineyards and breweries that see a lot of weekend business from the city may be detrimentally affected,” Bailey said.
It can even impact schools in Loudoun, as the federal Department of Education is losing employees at a substantial rate.
Resources for low income families are reaching low rates as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is being paused due to the shutdown. SNAP is a beneficial resource that helps low income families afford groceries.
However, the Virginia State Government is offering a substitution called “VENA” (Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance). This would allow for continued payment for resources.
“I worry about how the government shutdown will affect other states outside of Virginia,” junior Mia Templeton said. “People can’t function without food. Causing people to go hungry is a war tactic.”
Non-profits are weighing in too, such as Mobile Hope offering programs like Feed the Furloughed, starting Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. in Leesburg.
“So we did the ‘Feed the Furloughed’ as we do with many emergency responses to fill an anticipated gap,” CEO and founder of Mobile Hope Donna Fortier said. “Providing it through a drive-through format helps to maintain anonymity, since most of the families coming probably have never had to experience receiving services, especially from a food pantry.”
Organizations like Mobile Hope help families gain access to essential resources during the shutdown.
“I am always humbled to see how the community rallies around others during a time of crisis or need,” Fortier said. “I am especially proud of my team, who always steps up to fill those gaps.”
With the gubernatorial election coming up, Virginia will have many new representatives for our state. This could change how the ongoing government shutdown affects small towns, small businesses and Virginia citizens.
