General Newsletter From the Office of Senator Andy Kim

Happy Friday, New Jersey!

We’re writing to you because at 12:01 am yesterday morning, we officially entered a federal government shutdown and would like to share some resources and information.

We know these are uncertain times and we hope that you know our office, to the best of our ability, is here to support you and your family.

RECAP: TELEPHONE TOWN HALL

Thank you to all who joined our telephone town hall Tuesday night. Over 6,000 people in New Jersey joined specifically to learn about the pending government shutdown and its potential impacts.

We believe it’s important to come together and have meaningful conversations about the challenges our communities are facing.

If you missed the town hall, you can watch/listen here.

SHARING YOUR STORIES:

We've heard directly from New Jerseyans about how hard rising costs across the board have hit them, especially when it comes to meeting basic needs and paying for healthcare, groceries, utilities, tariffs, and housing. All this while corruption in government runs rampant and Republicans in the House of Representatives can’t even be bothered to show up for their jobs.

On the tele-town hall, Barbara, a New Jersey resident, begged us to not back down from this fight. Both herself and her 25-year-old medically ill daughter rely on programs like Medicaid and Medicare and will be affected by the shutdown. She recognized this moment is far too important for us not to keep fighting.

If you are being impacted by rising costs, or if you and your family will have to make some hard decisions as ACA premiums skyrocket, we want to hear from you.

Send your story to [email protected] and help us tell the story of the crisis that is unfolding.

ICYMI: Watch Senator Kim frame this crisis on the Senate floor.

RESOURCES FOR YOU:

Our office will also be hosting a Constituent Services Resource Fair on Monday, October 6th from 2-6pm at Raritan Valley Community College (118 Lamington Rd., Branchburg, NJ 08876). Resources will be geared toward help people can get during a federal government shutdown from local and state government agencies, as well as community organizations and nonprofits.

As things remain uncertain in Washington D.C., we wanted to share some additional resources that may be helpful to you in New Jersey, now or at another point in the future.

Housing

If you need immediate services such as a shelter, call the NJ hotline 2-1-1.
NJ Housing Help are a great resource for homeowners, landlords, and tenants to prevent evictions. Dial 888-691-3002 to get in touch.

Food Resources

Mental Health Resources

For someone experiencing a mental health, substance use, or suicide crisis, call or text 988 or chat with the Lifeline at 988lifeline.org and be connected to trained crisis counselors in the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network. These crisis counselors are trained to help anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress, and they can resolve more than 80-90 percent of contacts over the phone, text or chat.
In New Jersey specifically, dial 211 to speak with a resources specialist or text your zip code to 898-211 to text. You can also email the organization at [email protected].

Legal Resources

Department of Justice | List of pro bono Legal Service Providers
State of New Jersey- Statewide Legal Aid Services
NJ Courts | Pro bono portal

STAY IN TOUCH:

We will be providing daily updates on our social media regarding the government shutdown. Please follow us at the links below for the latest.

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU:

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you in the United States Senate. It is an honor and a responsibility we do not take lightly. We know these are difficult times, and we will continue to fight for everyone across the state of New Jersey and stand ready to serve you however we can.

If you need help, please contact us at kim.senate.gov, and keep up with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Threads, Bluesky, and/or YouTube.

Sincerely,

The Office of Senator Andy Kim

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