Fairfax, Richmond & Norfolk Among Areas Most Impacted by SNAP Delays

As the federal government shutdown stretches into November, thousands of Virginians are facing uncertainty about when they’ll receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Data from the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) shows that northern, central, and southeastern parts of the state are among the areas most affected by these ongoing delays.

In 2024, one in every 11 Virginians relied on SNAP to help feed their families, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Fairfax County reported the largest number of recipients, with more than 55,000 individuals across 28,000 households depending on food assistance. Richmond followed closely behind, providing benefits to roughly 38,000 residents in over 22,000 households. Norfolk ranked third, with about 37,000 individual recipients across 20,000 households.

To help fill the gap while federal payments remain uncertain, Governor Glenn Youngkin launched a temporary state-funded relief program called the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) system. Beginning Monday, Nov. 3, the initiative started distributing weekly payments to some SNAP recipients as a stopgap measure.

Federal judges recently ordered the Trump administration to use $4.65 billion in emergency funds to sustain SNAP payments nationwide, though experts estimate that the full cost for November’s benefits exceeds $9 billion. With more than 850,000 Virginians currently enrolled in the program, delays could have an outsized impact on households in Fairfax, Richmond, and Norfolk.. the regions with the highest concentrations of residents relying on food assistance.