THOMASTON, Maine — A wife of an on-duty Coast Guard member says she is overwhelmed by the support and generosity of a local grocery store.
Mary is a mother of four who lives in the Thomaston area. Like the more than 420,000 federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown, her husband has not been paid since January 1.
Mary walked into the Thomaston Grocery Store on Tuesday, Jan. 22, and after mentioning to an employee that her husband was a member of the Coast Guard and showing her military ID, the store gave her a gift card.
Mary says the grocery store is giving out $100 gift cards for families and $50 gift cards for single people.
"I found it to be so amazing."
The employee also told Mary to spread the word to other Coast Guard spouses that the Thomaston Grocery "want(s) to stand behind our Coast Guard."
Tuesday marks the 32nd day of the partial government shutdown, the longest in history, as Democrats and President Trump continue to argue over funding for a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Included along with Coast Guard members among the estimated 420,000 federal workers who are not being paid during the shutdown are FBI agents, TSA workers, DEA agents and ATF agents.
Mary says her family is fortunate to have savings from which they are able to draw a living, and she realizes there are many people sharing her circumstances who do not have that much.
"The unknown is the hardest part. We are living off savings but we don't know how long we are going to do it for."
Mary says the community in Rockland and Thomaston has been amazing, helping families like hers during the long partial government shutdown that feels anything but partial to those affected.
"When they say they are a Coast Guard cities, they mean it, and they stand behind their Coast Guard families."
