Outside the Federal Building, LTSC staff reminded passers-by about the impact of the government shutdown.
Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) staff gathered in front of the Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles on Oct. 24 for a 24-minute, nonpartisan moment of silence to highlight those affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The action underscored how the continued lapse in federal funding threatens access to CalFresh, CalWORKs, and Medi-Cal benefits that help thousands of Los Angeles families and seniors put food on the table and stay healthy. 70% of the clients that participating LTSC staff assist are estimated to be impacted by the CalFresh loss, many of whom are Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Spanish-speaking families and seniors.
“As human service professionals, we see first-hand how federal programs provide stability, dignity, and security for the families and older adults we serve,” said Peter Gee, RN, co-executive director of LTSC. “We feel it is important to lift up these issues and remind policymakers that behind every delayed payment or suspended benefit is a real person — a senior waiting for food assistance or a parent choosing between medication and groceries.”
Participants held signs emphasizing food security, housing stability, and care.
LTSC will continue monitoring updates from federal and state agencies and provide multilingual assistance to residents navigating benefit renewals and disruptions. Multilingual resource sheets are available at www.ltsc.org.
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Tagged: Downtown Los Angeles, DTLA, Federal Shutdown, ltsc