Stafford County, VA

10/30/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2025 09:17

Stafford County and Virginia Work to Alleviate Food Insecurity During Shutdown

Both Stafford County and Virginia have recently taken action to ensure that the food-insecure in Stafford County and the surrounding area have support during the federal government shutdown. Stafford's Board of Supervisors voted to provide up to $65,000 from the County's rainy-day fund to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank. Virginia is using state funds to continue benefits to residents for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is currently funded by the federal government and is set to expire on November 1, 2025.

The Food Bank requested emergency funding from all five localities within Planning District 16. Stafford's share, based on a percentage of the total number of SNAP recipients in the region, is 30%, or $64,200. Stafford's food pantry, SERVE, has not yet requested funding, but it is expected, as its demand has accelerated. SNAP applications have increased, mostly from federal employees.

As of October 29, 2025, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to allow the use of state funds to provide temporary food assistance to SNAP customers if the federal government shutdown is not resolved by November 1, 2025.

Through the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) program, eligible SNAP customers will receive 25% of their monthly benefit each week during November. This weekly distribution schedule ensures benefits continue while allowing normal federal SNAP funding to resume immediately if the shutdown ends.

Weekly VENA benefit schedule (beginning Monday, November 3):

  • SNAP customers who normally receive benefits on the 1st: VENA benefits are issued on Mondays
  • SNAP customers who normally receive benefits on the 4th: VENA benefits are issued on Wednesdays
  • SNAP customers who normally receive benefits on the 7th: VENA benefits are issued on Fridays

The state of emergency allows the Governor to utilize these funds to fund this program. Stafford County will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?
  • Virginia Governor Youngkin's news conference on SNAP Emergency Food Benefits is at this link.
  • Virginia Department of Social Services website.
  • Stafford County Social Services
  • SERVE
  • Fredericksburg Area Food Bank
Stafford County, VA published this content on October 30, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 30, 2025 at 15:17 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]