At the Brian Coyle Community Center in Cedar Riverside on Monday, Sen. Doron Clark (DFL-Minneapolis), Sen. Mohamud Noor (DFL-Minneapolis) and Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley gathered with residents to address community concerns and discuss how the national government shutdown might impact people.​

Noor said the government shutdown will impact residents who utilize SNAP benefits and individuals with disabilities.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced a $4 million one-time emergency grant to food banks around the state, reported MPR. 

Noor said the relief is only a temporary solution.​

“One in nine meals. And it doesn’t provide everything because there are few things that are not available through the food banks,” Noor said. “Families are gonna struggle, unfortunately, because of the gridlock that is happening at the federal government.” 

​The U.S. government is entering its fourth week of a shutdown after U.S. Congress members could not agree on spending bills, specifically extending the Affordable Care Act, reported NPR.

According to NPR, 1.4 million federal workers are working without paychecks.

​At the town hall, people spoke in Somali and in English about the fears of losing Medicare and the Hennepin County Medical Center.​ HCMC is the state’s busiest emergency room, serving over 92,000 patients each year, reported the Star Tribune.

​Conley said while the hospital will stay open, she estimates the hospital will lose around $20 million in funding in 2026. In 2028, the hospital is estimated to lose $80 million.

​“We cannot have our only safety net adult and child hospital in the Upper Midwest region close or be subjected to that kind of pressure,” Conley said.​

Clark said it is important for residents in Minnesota to have a hospital that is open to people from Minneapolis and the Greater Minnesota area.

​“We know that anybody who is here, whether they’re visiting from out of state, Minnesota, whether they’re visiting from Alabama, if they have an incident, they go there,” Clark said. “With more and more people being uninsured, we pick up the cost.”

​Both Clark and Conley said the Minnesota state government will have to look for different revenue streams that do not add to the property tax.

Cedar Riverside resident ​Tanisha Gibson said the recent changes in government policy should be a reason for people in the neighborhood to stay informed. 

​“You have to be informed and you have to stay connected with the people who represent you because nobody is coming to save us,” Gibson said at the meeting.

Cedar Riverside resident​ Sharif Farah, who uses a motor scooter, said he was worried about the potential cuts to Medicare and how it might affect him and his children.

​“People like me, they need help always. I don’t want to worry about shelter or something like that,” Farah said.