MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — As the government shutdown nears 40 days, organizations on both sides of the Tennessee-Kentucky border are coming together to offer emergency resources.

“If the government doesn't open up in the next week, they're going to be missing three paychecks at this point,” Christian County Military Affairs Director Shannon Lane said. “We were looking at 8,400 federal employees just in Montgomery and Christian County alone, not including almost 3,000 federal employees on Fort Campbell. So you're talking an economic impact just using say the 8,400 total of almost $13 million a week in our local area.”

This week, Montgomery and Christian counties' governments organized resource fairs in Oak Grove and Clarksville. Various companies and nonprofits offered a variety of help, including Kroger gift cards, banking assistance, and mental health resources just to name a few.

“We're adding a second and third world effect on these financial strains by now," Lane said. "They're going out. They're taking out loans; they're putting gas money on credit cards because they haven't been paid in 38 days, 37 days, you know, since the first of October,” Lane said.

Although the initiative came together somewhat quickly, organizers predicted reaching 5,000 to 10,000 families through these efforts.

“We're here to just make sure people know there are resources if they need to be connected," Montgomery County Communications and Marketing Director Michelle Hueffmeier said. "So we have everything from local food banks to veterans organizations and also local charities that provide mental, emotional-emotional support, so financial, low-interest loans, anything that they could be needing we want them to know the resources are here and connect them to those."

Organizers encouraged everyone to lend a hand during these tough economic times for federal workers.

“A simple gesture of inviting them to dinner at your table. If you can afford it, (it) can make or break the difference for that family for that week,” Lane said.

Anyone in need of resources can visit the Montgomery County Library between noon and 6 p.m. Saturday or visit the Montgomery County Facebook Page.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/offering-resources-to-fort-campbell-families-federal-workers/