Elected leaders in Washington, D.C., have shirked their responsibility to their nation by allowing a shutdown to begin, not to mention by allowing it to continue for more than a month.

Fortunately for hundreds of thousands of workers who are furloughed or working without pay, their communities have not forsaken them.

Numerous efforts have been under way locally to help local workers, particularly Coast Guard families, stay on their feet until they can get back to work.

We recently learned that several Daisy Girl Scouts in Western Tidewater donated food and volunteered with their parents at the Help for Hampton Roads Coast Guard Families Food Drive last weekend.

The drive brought in food as well as hygiene products, baby formula, pet food, gift cards and more to help Coast Guard families make it through the shutdown.

About 163 households received assistance through the drive, which included 597 people and 218 family pets. That’s a lot of people and animals that had their needs fulfilled through the initiative and generosity of their neighbors.

While we condemn this shutdown and the actions in D.C. that have led to it, we commend those locally who are ensuring that federal workers are taken care of in the meantime.