Government shutdown takes toll on Coast Guard family

MARYSVILLE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Just weeks ago life was normal for the Cavallaro family.

"We were getting a paycheck, paying bills, eating groceries, all that," said Andrea Cavallaro.

But then President Donald Trump declared a partial government shutdown in effect until he says Congress approves billions of dollars in funding for a border wall. Nicholas is a member of the Coast Guard, stationed in Port Huron.

He's working but his last paycheck came on December 31.

"I'm on my account every day looking to make sure do we have money for this? Who do we have to call next?" Andrea said.

She said she started selling her family's belongings.

"Anything that we could do to bring in some extra cash and we end up using that cash for groceries," she said.

She even tried to sell her son Maverick's Top Gun jacket that he wore at his first birthday party.

But Andrea had a change of heart and decided to keep the beloved jacket. 

Feeling like she needed to do more, Andrea started reaching out for donations for Coast Guard families.

"A stranger down the ways that wanted to donate fresh farm eggs and then next thing I know, the soup kitchen is donating 1,000 pounds of ground beef," she said.

And this mother of three said that was just the beginning. She said she is touched and overwhelmed by the support.

"It's almost like the lovers and the givers and the people that are willing to help out strangers lay low until something like this happens, then you see this rising of a community coming together," she said.