As federal employees go without pay, organizations and companies across the state are trying to ease the impact of the partial government shutdown.
Dan McCue is the president of the Alaska Credit Union League, the trade association for credit unions of Alaska. He says Alaska’s credit unions are each developing assistance programs for their members affected by the federal government’s partial shutdown. As for the Alaska USA Federal Credit Union:
“Alaska USA is offering personal loans at zero percent and we're looking at loan extensions, fee waivers, and additional financial solutions that are tailored to each individual,” he said. “We highly recommend that members of credit unions contact their credit union to see what they offer.”
Alaska’s internet and wireless provider GCI is offering payment plans for federal workers, allowing customers to defer paying portions of their bill until after the shutdown is resolved.
On the Kenai Peninsula, Bruce Shelley with the Homer Electric Association says the company wants to support its members who are affected by the partial shutdown in every way it can.
“So in support of these members, we are waiving all late fees during this time to assist them during this time of hardship and we truly appreciate our government workers,” he said.
And the Kenai Peninsula College is following the lead of the state’s university system. Julie Cotterell is the student services director for KPC and she wants students who are affected by the shutdown to reach out to the college so it can help make accommodations on a case-by-case basis.
“Some of the accommodations that we might be able to provide to the students who do reach out to us will be late fee waivers so they won't get a late fee on their account if they are unable to pay, due to the shutdown,” she said. “We may be able to help them with obtaining books and course materials. And when students aren't able to pay, they typically get a hold on their student account, which makes it so they can't register for the next semester so we would be working with students on that.”
The college also offers advising and counseling support for students.
Here in Homer, the city regularly works with water and sewer costumers who are experiencing unexpected hardships.
The Homer Community Food Pantry says it hasn’t seen an uptick in the number of people coming to the pantry for services since the start of the shutdown. But board member Sherry Stead wants to remind the community that it’s here for them.
“We have food, we can offer some financial assistance, we can do loans, no interest loans,” she said.
This Sunday, the food pantry will be holding a turkey dinner for those affected by the shutdown at the Homer United Methodist Church. From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. there will be games for children and families. And from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., there will be a community dinner.
“You can help, if you want, help serve,” she said. “We are asking for side salads of any type. The Emblem Club is providing the stuffing for the turkeys and I have a couple people saying they're bringing cranberries and a few other people pies. So pretty much whatever the community would like to donate, they can just drop it off on Sunday at the Methodist church in the kitchen between noon and 4 p.m.”
She also says if those who are suffering from the shutdown just want a beer, there’s a way to make that happen. Stead is a co-owner of the Grace Ridge Brewing Company.
“If anyone in the community wants to come in and buy a beer for a Coast Guard or other employee that's furloughed, it will be $3 a pint,” she said.
Stead says furloughed federal workers can come into the brewery to receive their pint. She’s calling the project “Furlough it Forward.”
