Before we get to the hot mess of an anti-hunger food system during shutdown, let’s talk about people.
Seven thousand people live in the nearly 3,700 households which received SNAP in September. More than 1,000 each in Lancaster, Northumberland, and Richmond Counties and almost 3,000 in Westmoreland County. And nine times more SNAP participants were not on public assistance than were. And lest you think it’s a boondoggle, households are expected to spend 30% of their income on food. That number is deducted from the maximum monthly allotment. The max allotment for a one-person household is $298; for a four-person household, it is $994. (Learn more about SNAP eligibility.)
(Should you want to play with the NNK data for September.)
The shutdown food system
The anti-hunger food system on the NNK during shutdown looks significantly different from the normal one depicted in Types of anti-hunger programs on the Northern Neck .
As we know, November SNAP allotments will not be made unless by some miracle in Washington, DC. WIC benefits will last as long as they last. The Virginia Department of Health’s October 29 update says “Virginia WIC will continue operating for the foreseeable future.”
Pending any last-minute changes by the Trump administration, November’s SNAP benefits will not be given to the 42 million people across the country, 850,000 across Virginia, and more than 7,000 people on the Northern Neck who rely on them. WIC will be available until it is not.
So what does this mean?
Virginia has created a state-funded food assistance program VENA, Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance. The declared state of emergency, EO-54 Declaration of a State of Emergency to Protect Hungry Virginians from Democrats Blocking Federal Funding for the Most Needy (PDF), allows for cash assistance to households and funding to food banks. Perhaps the most important thing for people to know is that the state is doling benefits out on a weekly basis, with 25% of monthly benefits added to EBT cards each week. So, as the release says, “plan accordingly.”
As said here before, WIC remains available, but this may change.
Individual meal programs for those who are food insecure may be at risk during the shutdown depending on their funding sources.
As for the remaining elements of the system―the food bank, food pantries, and come-one-come-all meal events―their ability to provide the food people need depends on the largess of small and large donors alike, as well as the funding made available by the state to Healthy Harvest Food Bank. As numerous media reports have indicated, food banks and food pantries have found it hard to keep up with the need as food prices, and demand for services, have increased.
The new map Free food on the NNK contains information about Healthy Harvest Food Bank partner food pantries, non-traditional pantries (like the ones open 24/7), and free meal events. This map can be used to find food and to make donations. This new map is not perfect: It relies on good and timely information. Should you have updated info about a resource already on the map or one not on the map, email me. Does your organization want to take over the map? Let me know.
More info about VENA
The Department of Social Services posted on their website on October 29 the following:
October 29, 2025: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency allowing the use of state funds to issue Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) benefits to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers in November if the federal government shutdown is not resolved by November 1, 2025. Under VENA, 25% of a customer’s monthly benefit will be issued on a weekly basis, so that in the event the shutdown ends sometime during November, normal distributions from the federal government will resume. Starting Monday, November 3, the following will take effect for SNAP customers:
- Customers who receive their benefits on the 1st of the month will receive weekly VENA benefits on Mondays.
- Customers who receive their benefits on the 4th of the month will receive weekly VENA benefits on Wednesdays.
- Customers who receive their benefits on the 7th of the month will receive weekly VENA benefits on Fridays.
DSS has compiled a FAQs, shown below and more easily read on the DSS site (permanent link).
