Virginia’s Food Security Safety Nets Are Fraying

In Virginia, the safety nets that keep families fed are under renewed strain. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program together provide essential food for more than 850,000 Virginians, from working parents to newborns. But recent federal funding disruptions and the lingering ripple effects of inflation have stretched both programs thin. As the state scrambled to protect benefits during the latest budget impasse, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to keep food aid flowing—an extraordinary step that underscores how precarious these lifelines have become.

When the shutdown threat hit, Virginia moved fast to shield families from the fallout. SNAP benefits—distributed monthly to help households afford groceries—were temporarily secured through state emergency funds, buying time while Congress fought, and continues to fight, over appropriations. The WIC program, which provides nutritional support for pregnant women, infants, and young children, faced the same risk: delayed reimbursements, empty shelves, and parents forced to ration formula. The emergency funding worked, but it’s no way to run a safety net. Programs designed to prevent hunger shouldn’t have to survive on the goodwill of executive orders or eleventh-hour fixes.

The instability of federal funding comes at a time when food prices remain stubbornly high, housing costs have surged across Virginia, and more working families than ever qualify for aid. Local food banks report record demand, even as SNAP and WIC benefit levels are stretched thin.[1] In rural counties like Buckingham and Mecklenburg, participation rates have spiked; in Northern Virginia suburbs, families earning just above the income threshold find themselves one lost paycheck away from hunger. The system works—but just barely, and only when the federal government does, too.

That context made this month’s statewide election more consequential than usual. Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger’s historic win as Virginia’s first female governor gives Democrats control of both the executive branch and the General Assembly. Her campaign focused heavily on affordability, healthcare access, and strengthening public programs—a contrast to the previous administration’s emphasis on tax cuts and private-sector partnerships. For SNAP and WIC, her victory could mark a turning point: Spanberger has pledged to expand state-level contingency funding to prevent future benefit lapses and to modernize enrollment systems that often frustrate eligible families.[2]

Still, not every Virginian feels equally safe accessing those programs. Immigrant families, particularly mixed-status households, have voiced fears about visiting food banks or applying for federal aid. Although both SNAP and WIC are explicitly exempt from immigration enforcement and do not trigger the federal “public charge” rule,[3] misinformation spreads fast—especially in communities already wary of surveillance or deportation. Food banks across Northern Virginia have reported fewer visits from Latino and immigrant families since ICE raids in early 2025. Advocates stress that no state or local agency in Virginia shares SNAP or WIC data with immigration authorities, and community organizations such as Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) and Sin Barreras are actively working to ensure families know their rights when seeking food assistance.

Food insecurity is not evenly distributed. In rural areas like Buchanan County, limited grocery options make SNAP benefits less effective; in urban centers like Fairfax or Charlottesville, high prices mean even families above the poverty line face tough choices. The result is a fragile equilibrium—a patchwork of federal programs, emergency supplements, and private charity that together keep hunger at bay, but just barely.

Still, the stakes are clear. Food assistance is one of the few policies where morality and economics align: hungry children can’t learn, hungry workers can’t focus, and hungry families can’t climb out of poverty. Every dollar invested in SNAP or WIC ripples outward—supporting local grocers, improving public health, and stabilizing communities. Letting those programs dangle on a thread every time Congress stalls is a choice, not a necessity.

And it’s one Virginians—even ones here only for three years—can change. Supporting food security doesn’t require holding office. It starts with what happens in our communities:

●      Volunteer at your local food pantry or food bank, especially during months when SNAP benefits are delayed. The food banks and organizations closest to the Law School are Loaves & Fishes, The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (BRAFB),[4] Little Free Fridge, and the Emergency Food Network. There are often additional volunteer opportunities with Cultivate Charlottesville.[5]

●      Law students specifically can assist with benefit enrollment clinics, often coordinated by LAJC or Charlottesville Albemarle Bar Association, to help families navigate documentation barriers. The Law School’s Pro Bono Program makes it very straightforward to volunteer.[6]

●      Advocate with state and local officials for consistent, year-round contingency funding.[7]

●      Spread awareness by sharing enrollment information for SNAP (dss.virginia.gov/benefit/snap) and WIC (myvawic.org). Many eligible families never apply simply because they don’t know they qualify. In addition, folks here in Charlottesville can enroll in the Food Security Text Program by texting FOOD or COMIDA to 844-947-6518 to access information about City and surrounding county food resources.[8]

●   Many eligible families here in Charlottesville also don’t know about programs like Virginia Fresh Match, which make SNAP benefits go even further—doubling the value of SNAP dollars spent on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating markets like the Charlottesville City Market. That means $20 in SNAP benefits can purchase $40 worth of local produce, directly supporting both food security and local farmers. By promoting initiatives like Fresh Match, law students and community advocates can help bridge the gap between nutrition assistance and healthy, affordable food access.[9]

●      Support local retailers who accept SNAP and WIC, and encourage farmers markets and small grocers to join those programs.[10]

Food assistance shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s one of the few policy areas where economics, ethics, and humanity align (In theory, I guess. Christ.). Every dollar spent through SNAP generates between $1.50 and $1.80 in economic activity,[11] strengthening local grocers, farmers markets, and supply chains. To let such programs falter because of gridlock is to mistake politics for governance. In simpler terms, it makes you a piss-poor neighbor. You will never escape the karmic cycle!!

Governor Spanberger has the chance to make Virginia a model for how a state can protect its residents even when Washington prioritizes marble-and-gold bathroom renovations over food security for constituents. But that work will require partnership—from lawyers, students, and citizens alike—to ensure the safety nets we built[12] stay strong enough to hold everyone.

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For immediate help, the Food Security Text Line for Charlottesville, VA, is available by texting FOOD or COMIDA to (844) 947-6518 to connect with local food resources.

The Food Security Text Line builds on the infrastructure of the No Kid Hungry text line (text Food to 877877) for school meal distributions and the USDA Hunger Text Hotline (text Food or meals to 97779) for local USDA food banks, including the many resources specific to our local community such as food banks, church food pantries, and nonprofit programs.

[1] Feeding Virginia Annual Report (2024) — https://feedingvirginia.org/.

[2] Spanberger Elected Governor, Promises Food Access Expansion, Washington Post, Nov. 4 2025 — https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/11/04/virginia-governor-election-spanberger-earle-sears/.

[3] USCIS Public Charge Guidance (2023) -  https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/public-charge.

[4] See also this interview with Les Sinclair of BRAFB -  https://www.vpm.org/news/2025-10-29/les-sinclair-blue-ridge-area-food-bank-shutdown-usda-snap-youngkin.

[5] Volunteer opportunities and additional resources also available with Cultivate Charlottesville - https://cultivatecharlottesville.org/food-justice-network/.

[6] https://www.law.virginia.edu/pro-bono; https://www.justice4all.org/get-involved/volunteer/

[7] As Trump Withholds SNAP Funding, Warner, Kaine Introduce Legislation to Protect Nutrition Assistance for Virginia Families - https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=7A18EFE9-FB42-4BF8-BC63-3E717DBCEBD8; Cultivate Charlottesville – Take Action – Food Justice Network https://cultivatecharlottesville.org/take-action/.

[8] City Food Initiatives https://charlottesville.org/366/Social-Services

[9] Charlottesville City Market Offers “Harvest Special”: $20 in Free Produce for SNAP Customers https://www.charlottesville.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2330; Virginia Fresh Match  https://www.virginiafreshmatch.org/

[10] SNAP-friendly store locator https://helpingamericansfindhelp.org/virginia/virginia-food-assistance/virginia-food-stamps-stores-near-you/?utm_source=chatgpt.com; https://www.charlottesville.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2330

[11] USDA Economic Research Service: The Economic Impact of SNAP — https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/economic-linkages/

[12] I’d just like to close with the traditional and obligatory “fuck you” to former presidents Carter (less so) and Reagan (more so) for stripping our social safety nets. Amongst other things. Fuck you guys. Dick move.