Government shutdown leaves impact on local families

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Senate left just before 7 p.m. Tuesday night, heading home to their families.

Meanwhile, families in Charlotte are desperate for a decision before it is too late.

"What do they expect some parents to do," said Talaysha McCoy.

McCory is one of thousands of mothers across Charlotte left waiting and worrying about their children all because of the government shutdown.

McCoy has a 3-year-old daughter and just started a new job at Wendy's, but on Tuesday night, Eyewitness News has learned a federally funded program that McCoy and other women and children depend on could soon run out due to the shutdown – the nutritional program for woman, infants and children, known as WIC.

"If we stopped receiving WIC on Wednesday and you do not get food and nutrition services, you have no milk for your kids," said McCoy.

Late this afternoon, Eyewitness News learned the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which provides the WIC program, told more than 300 employees not to show up for work tomorrow.

Those employees are paid by federal dollars and they will be furloughed until the government resolves the financial crisis.

If it takes too long to resolve, that number could go up to 4,500 DHHS workers, and because of the WIC program, which provides food and health care for more than 260,000 North Carolina families, each month is now in jeopardy of running out.

Eyewitness News learned about another blow to families on Tuesday night – cuts to the federally funded Head Start program.

In York County, Eyewitness News learned Head Start had to take out a loan and will only be able to operate until the end of the week.

WSOC