DMV influencer creates resource list for furloughed federal workers

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — As the government shutdown continues, thousands of federal workers across the D.C. region are not getting a paycheck despite it being their payday. Amid the uncertainty, one local content creator is stepping up to help ease the burden.

Lola Ajayi, known online as “Life With LeauxLa” is using her platform to share a comprehensive list of free resources available to federal workers and others affected by the shutdown.

“I think that every day that it goes on, more and more people get into a bigger hole,” Ajayi said. “My heart just really goes out to everyone who’s been affected by this because it’s so many people in the DMV area. It’s a lot of people going through a tough time right now.”

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Ajayi created a Google Drive document filled with free resources from free meals at restaurants like IKEA or the Andrés Group, to groceries at the Capital Area Food Bank, to interest-free loans from the state, free public transportation in Maryland, and even free in-home oil changes and services from Koon Motors.

“The idea about the Google doc was I knew that more resources were going to come along,” she said. “If it was going to continue and more resources came along, I wasn’t necessarily able to make another video; this would be a good way to keep everything organized and to add as things were coming in.”

Ajayi said she wanted the list to be a “one-stop shop” for workers struggling to make ends meet.

“I wanted to include anything that was free or actual resources to get potential loans, free groceries and things like that, mainly nonprofits,” she said.

The shutdown has impacted not only paychecks, but government programs like SNAP Benefits, and even the TSA Lost and Found at DCA.

“It’s very interesting seeing systems that usually work, no longer work because they don’t have the capacity anymore,” Ajayi said. “With the government shutdown, it seems like there are now holes being created and it’s making a lot of things harder.”