Friend,
Mr. Rogers used to say that when something was wrong in the world, his mother taught him to look for the helpers. Time and time again, wherever there was suffering, there were also people who showed up to help.
This government shutdown is now the longest in our history, and President Trump is hell bent on making the American people suffer in order to gain political leverage. Though it sounds too cruel to be true, the President of the United States has gone out of his way to prevent hungry families from buying groceries this month.
Multiple federal judges have now ordered the White House to release available funds and feed people, but the President refuses to do so. In fact, he’s taken his case all the way to the Supreme Court in an emergency appeal.
Thankfully, Connecticut has not flinched in the face of Trump’s inhumanity. Our state is stepping up to the plate and making sure that benefits are fully funded this month. The White House, however, issued a memo ordering states not to feed those in need. The result of all this political back and forth? Seniors in our community aren’t certain where their next meal will come from, and parents are unclear if they can afford to feed their kids three meals a day.
As families in my district face this uncertainty, I’m following Mr. Rogers’ advice and looking for the helpers. In addition to fighting in Congress to end this shutdown, I want to have the backs of those who are helping out here in Fairfield County. That’s why I’m donating my salary this month in two equal portions to the Merton Center and Filling in the Blanks. I’ve seen firsthand how these organizations provide a crucial lifeline to low-income households in our area.
