The Whitehouse sent me an email urging me to explain in my words how the recent shutdown has affected me. I want to know how others were affected by this.

I wish I could say that the shutdown has affected me just a couple days ago, unfortunately I have been affected long before this could happen. As if situations I faced currently weren’t difficult enough, I have to somehow figure out how my monthly income of $519.00 per month is going to be reduced since my food stamps will be reduced starting in November. My rent is being raised so now I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to afford to drive a car again. I’m a single parent, returning student at Westwood College. I’m going to have to take a student loan out and its still not enough to pay for my monthly tuition fee of $75.00, my phone bill of $40. I haven’t even had enough money to buy me a pair of shoes or clothes now to go to interviews and a bus pass is $175.00. I have 2 boys, one is going to graduate from middle school this year and I’m not sure if I will be able to afford to send him or even buy him clothes to wear on his graduation. Needless to say there will be no Christmas this year. Not to mention both my children’s birthdays are in December. My rent is $270.00 per month. The little money I do have to spare goes to hygiene which isn’t enough and I almost dread when laundry soap runs out or cleaning supplies because its another obstacle. Yes, I’m homeless and living with family. Three people to one bedroom. And yes I am a U.S. Citizen. And I live In Castroville, CA. Hey someone forgot about us here because there is a lot of homeless people in this town alone. If I were to begin to even think about the shutdown I think I would panic and I don’t know if I deserve to go to jail again for crying out that I need help and this isn’t fair. Now that everyone else’s check is in limbo with this shutdown, to say the least now they know where I was 8 months ago.