(The Center Square) – Virginia households that rely on food assistance are expected to see their benefits deposited this week after federal officials confirmed the release of November payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
That means most families will again receive federal benefits instead of the temporary state-funded help that had been filling the gap since the government shutdown began.
According to the latest guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 65% of a normal monthly benefit will be issued to more than 850,000 Virginians, with deposits expected no later than Thursday, Nov. 13.
The commonwealth had already provided about 25% of those funds earlier in the month through the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance initiative, or VENA, which used state dollars to make sure families didn’t lose access to food aid.
“The Commonwealth launched VENA last week to ensure there was no interruption to food benefits for Virginians in need,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin in a statement. “Our top priority has been to ensure that every Virginian facing food insecurity knows that we are doing everything in our ability to provide food assistance.
“Now, based on federal guidance, we are committed to processing the federal SNAP benefits made available no later than Thursday. I want to thank our team at DSS and Health and Human Resources for their hard work and dedication.”
Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet V. Kelly said the coordinated effort between the commonwealth’s nutrition and human services teams helped Virginia act quickly once federal guidance arrived. “This combined effort demonstrates Virginia’s unwavering dedication to the well-being of our neighbors while also protecting tax dollars for other worthy priorities,” she said in the release.
The administration said the new funds reflect the most up-to-date direction from federal authorities and will ensure Virginians receive as much support as possible during the transition.
Aaron McClung, chief development officer at Feed More, told The Center Square the organization has seen a clear increase in demand as families continue to feel the effects of the shutdown.
“We’re encouraged by the news that a portion of SNAP benefits will be distributed this week,” McClung said. “That support will bring some much-needed relief to many families across Central Virginia who’ve been struggling with missed paychecks, mounting bills and rising costs during the shutdown.
“Still, we know the demand for food assistance isn’t subsiding, and recovery will take time. Since the shutdown began, visits to our pantry network have risen by 10.7% compared to the 35 days prior, on top of the double-digit increases we’ve seen since the start of the year.”
Virginia has also continued promoting the Virginia Cares Initiative, a statewide food drive launched last week to support federal workers, military families and civilians affected by the shutdown.
