With the threat of a missed paycheck looming for military service members and other federal employees, organizations are announcing offers to close the gap.
About 1.3 million active duty military personnel could go without pay Wednesday due to the ongoing government shutdown. Relief organizations say they have already seen a spike in requests for assistance among military families. To ease the financial strain, some local and national organizations and businesses are offering federal workers resources to get them through the shutdown.
Loan assistance
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is offering sailors and Marines help to cover essential living expenses. It is offering eligible service members a zero-interest loan of up to $2,000. NMCRS will prioritize support for those who do not have access to payroll protection plans or interest-free loans from their financial institutions. NMCRS has six locations in Hampton Roads and encourages service members to visit their nearest location for assistance.
Similar programs are available through Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid Society and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.
Navy Federal Credit Union
Active duty service members and federal employees who are impacted by the shutdown and bank with Navy Federal have the option to enroll in its Paycheck Assistance Program. Eligible members will be offered 0% APR loans to help cover missed paychecks. Loans are calculated by the amount of the member’s most recent direct deposit, up to $10,000.
USAA
USAA is offering no-interest loans to service members impacted by the shutdown. Eligible active duty and federal employees may receive loans equal to one paycheck, up to $6,000. The loans include 90-day repayment terms and are open to members who received a direct deposit in a USAA account within the 30 days before the shutdown. Most funds are available within 24-48 hours of approval.
Food assistance
Foodbank
The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore will host a food distribution event for military and federal employees on Friday. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or while supplies last) at Military Circle Mall in Norfolk. The foodbank will provide 500 families with fresh produce, lean protein and pantry staples. Guests are asked to arrive with trunks empty and ready to receive food, remain in their vehicles during loading and wait for a signal before pulling forward. All vehicles should enter the site via Poplar Hall Drive.
YMCA Patriot’s Pantry
The Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads offers weekly food distribution to military members at its location at 1465 Lakeside Road in Virginia Beach. It welcomes service members weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. by appointment and on Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as walk-ins. The Patriots Pantry offers emergency food and baby supplies at its regional office in Virginia Beach, and the Mobile Patriots Pantry also serves Fort Eustis and Fort Langley every third Thursday of the month. A valid military ID is required.
THRIVE Peninsula
THRIVE is offering emergency food assistance to furloughed government workers. Its walk-in pantry at 12749 Nettles Drive in Newport News is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is also offering emergency financial assistance for expenses such as utilities, rent, transportation and child care.
Filing an unemployment claim
The Virginia Employment Commission has published a guide to applying for unemployment benefits for furloughed government workers affected by the shutdown. The fastest way is to apply online via the Customer Self Service portal. Assistance is also available by calling VEC’s customer contact center at 1-866-832-2363 or by visiting a local workforce center.
Other assistance
Verizon
Verizon is offering flexible payment arrangements and payment deferrals for customers affected by the shutdown. Active duty military, Coast Guard, federal first responders and other federal employees impacted by the shutdown are eligible for payment relief. For assistance, customers are asked to call 1-800-Verizon.
Military Aviation Museum
The Military Aviation Museum is offering $5 admission per person to furloughed government employees and their families during the shutdown. The museum is open seven days a week and is expected to remain open during the shutdown period because its funding is not substantially derived from the federal government.
In addition to providing assistance, military and veterans organizations are advising impacted workers to avoid taking out high-interest loans during the shutdown.
The government shutdown started on Oct. 1. Talks between Republicans and Democrats have stalled — with no deal in sight, the shutdown will likely continue through Oct. 15, the troops’ next payday. Bills to guarantee military pay during the shutdown have been defeated in Congress.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use leftover research and development funds from the previous fiscal year to pay service members. However, there are questions about the legality of the move and whether those funds could be made available in time for payday.
Emma Rose Brown, 757-805-2256, emma.brown@virginiamedia.com
https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/10/15/resources-gov-shutdown/
