Starting a GoFundMe page has helped many furloughed workers, who are trying to get by without paychecks. The company even set up its own fundraiser called “Government Shutdown Direct Relief Fund” in an effort to help workers impacted by the shutdown.
U.S. veteran and government law enforcement officer, 61-year-old Mark Greco, turned to crowdfunding in order to get by.
Greco spent much of his young life on a ship, serving in the U.S. Navy.
"Our main objective was to keep an eye on the Soviet submarine fleet,” he explains.
But today, Greco is left wondering how he will stay afloat.
"I really don't have a savings account of any sort,” he says. “I don't have any money packed away in case. I've been living off the kindness of strangers right now.”
Without pay for a month now, Greco is anxious about the future.
“And when the president said it may last months or years, I mean, what are we going to do?” he says.
Greco says he's been homeless before. It’s his biggest fear now.
"Being homeless again, out on the street, I just don't want to go back,” Greco says, as he gets emotional.
All this uncertainty has pushed him to the public for help. Greco turned to crowdfunding.
“I figured, well, I’ll give it a shot,” he says. “I wasn't very optimistic that it was going to work, but within hours, I had people donating.”
He’s now halfway to his $2,000 goal.
“I appreciate evert single penny,” Greco says.
He says every donation gives him hope he'll survive another day.
“I have a little money to get by, for a little while at least,” he says. “But I worry what am I going to do if this goes on for months?”