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Community comes together to help St. Louis federal workers hurt by shutdown

Many of them are living paycheck to paycheck and if they had any sort of savings, they fear it'll be gone by the end of January.

ST. LOUIS — Some of the government workers hurt by the furlough could be your loved ones, neighbors or friends right here in St. Louis.

Sunday, a community event showed that even though these workers aren't getting paid right now, they're not forgotten.

"I'm glad that it's a whole bunch of different resources and that the community is looking out for us," said Truess Feaman.

For Truess, her job at the IRS was the position she always dreamed of.

"Extremely excited because it's like a career move for me so I was very excited… that's like a grown-up step for me," Feamann said.

She started working there in October.

In December, the single mom learned her fairly new job, at least for now, would not be paying her.

"Shopping, having to pay for anything they need at school like they are needing money for lunches and stuff like that and I can't do that, because I have no funds right now," said Feaman. 

The event was organized by the St. Louis Diaper Bank to help federal workers like Truess, and dozens of others. Several other businesses from the community donated things like food, beer and feminine products.

While the event was all about giving back, some furloughed workers decided to stand on the distributing side of the table. Realizing that this shutdown affects everyone, but hurts some more than others.

"to show support that even though that we are in hard times that anybody can do anything," said Sean Moriarty.

Moriarty his wife and two kids handed out goods behind this stand.

The now-retired coast guardsman being hit on both ends by what's going on in Washington. His wife is still a coast guard.

"Its affected out family from a standpoint of not receiving a check from my retirement or from active duty pay so it's been hard," said Moriarty.

As they stand in line, all of these still employed federal workers continue to go into work every day.

Acknowledging that even though they're not getting paid, for many of them, this is the job they dreamed of.

"I don't see I should change my work ethic because of the finances, I am a good worker so I will stay that way," said Feaman. "I value my job so I'm going to do it."

5 On Your Side spoke with several federal workers who say they've heard rumors that federal workers get paid so well that going without a paycheck for a couple of weeks won't hurt them too much.

They say that's simply not true.

Many of them are living paycheck to paycheck and if they had any sort of savings, they fear it'll be gone by the end of January.

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