As the federal government shutdown continues, national and regional media outlets have spotlighted Melwood’s concerns about the impact on its workforce of approximately 1,000 employees with disabilities who work at federal sites across the region.
Jewelyn Cosgrove, Melwood’s Vice President of Government and Public Relations, has been featured in multiple outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Marketplace, DC News Now, and Loudoun Now, emphasizing how the shutdown threatens pay and stability for many federal contractors.
“My employees just want to work,” Cosgrove told the Wall Street Journal. “They just want to be able to put their boots on the ground.”
The coverage highlights how federal contract workers—particularly those with disabilities who rely on the stability and structure of regular employment—face unique hardships during shutdowns. Many of Melwood’s employees are working their first job or first job in years and have transitioned off government benefits through their employment.
