UPDATE AS OF 11/9/25 AT 5:58 PM:

Virginia is ending the VENA program and SNAP Contingency Funds will be issued to households that receive SNAP benefits this upcoming week, the week of November 10th. The SNAP benefit amount will be 65% of the SNAP benefit amount that households normally receive. The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) anticipates getting SNAP benefits out to SNAP households no later than Thursday, November 13; this includes households that applied and have been approved for November. The benefit issuance will not staggered, so everyone will get their benefits on the same day.

Families who were anticipating the second round of VENA benefits during this week, beginning on Monday 11/10, should not expect to get that or future VENA benefit issuances.

VDSS is working on getting details out to Virginia SNAP households. STAY INFORMED WITH THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION HERE: www.dss.virginia.gov/vena/

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Families across Virginia – and the nation – are navigating uncertainty because of the ongoing federal government shutdown. From families that work federal jobs having their income disrupted, to 850,000 Virginians wondering if they will get their food assistance next month, one thing is clear: shutdowns don’t just disrupt daily life, they undermine long-term progress toward reducing hunger and poverty. 

When the government reduces access to food assistance, it doesn’t just take food off the tables of our neighbors — it disrupts entire communities. Cuts to SNAP benefits impact not only families who rely on them, but also the job security of grocers, food retail workers, and farmers who depend on that economic stability. 

How Did We Get Here?  

• The federal government shutdown as of midnight on September 30. The Virginia Department of Social Services received a memo from USDA on October 10 indicating that USDA does not have funding to cover SNAP during the shutdown and requested that states hold their SNAP files and delay transmission to state SNAP vendors until further notice. Then, USDA announced on October 24 that it will not fund SNAP benefits in November using the $5-6 billion contingency fund that was outlined in the USDA’s September 30, 2025 “Lapse of Funding Plan” (this document has since been deleted from the USDA website). Additionally, the memo asserts that states who use their own funding to cover SNAP benefit costs in November would not be reimbursed.  

• As a result of inaction from the federal government and USDA, Virginia has vowed to use state funding to continue SNAP benefits during the month of November. A state of emergency was declared on October 23, allowing the Governor to tap into emergency funds. The commonwealth will provide approximately $145 million to SNAP households through a substitute program called “Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA).”  

• Additionally, $1 million is being directed to the state’s network of food banks to bolster their supply and ability to support local communities’ food needs.  

How will the VENA Program Work?  

It is important to note that this program will provide state-supported emergency food assistance payments to households that are currently enrolled in the SNAP program as of October 29. While households can, and should, continue to submit SNAP applications to their local DSS agency or through CommonHelp, no VENA benefits will be issued to newly eligible Virginians.  

Unlike SNAP benefits, where recipients get their monthly benefit allotment all at once, VENA benefits will be a weekly food assistance benefit to SNAP households. For example, if a household normally receives a $200 monthly SNAP benefit, a $50 benefit will be issued on a weekly basis.  

Payments will be added to SNAP recipients’ existing SNAP cards. Retailers, grocers, farmers markets, and other vendors who take SNAP will use the existing SNAP infrastructure and POS systems.  

Payments to SNAP recipients will be rolled out on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week beginning Monday, November 3, and will follow SNAP’s model of disbursing funds to one-third of recipients at a time. Traditionally, monthly SNAP benefits are released to one-third of recipients on the first of each month, another third of allotments are released on the fourth of each month, and the final third receives their benefits on the seventh of each month. VENA issuances will be distributed weekly instead. 

VENA Issuance Schedule:  

• A household that normally receives SNAP benefits on the 1st of the month will now receive VENA benefits on Monday of each week, beginning on November 3 (rather than November 1). 

• A household that normally receives SNAP benefits on the 4th of the month will now receive VENA benefits on Wednesday of each week, beginning on November 5 (rather than November 4). 

• A household that normally receives SNAP benefits on the 7th of the month will now receive VENA benefits on Friday of each week, beginning on November 7. 

How Long will the VENA Program Last?  

Benefits are designed in a weekly disbursement so that Virginia can stop the issuance of state payments when the federal government reopens. The Governor has stated that the VENA program should continue at least through November if the shutdown continues.  

It is a relief that Virginia will cover the benefits in November, but this is a stopgap solution that is both expensive and unsustainable for Virginia to manage long-term, requiring action at the federal level immediately. 

The Virginia Department of Social Services will keep their website up to date here: https://www.dss.virginia.gov/vena/index.html  

Where Can Families Get Additional Food Assistance?  

Voices created a resource to help families find additional food assistance near them, including free and reduced-price school meals: click here. 

• If you have leftover benefits on your SNAP card from October, you can continue to use those benefits.  

• The Virginia Fresh Match program allows people to double the value of SNAP benefits spent on fruits and vegetables. During November, the VFM Harvest Special gives SNAP recipients an extra $20 towards fruits and vegetables at farmers markets and 75% off fruits and vegetables at grocery stores and retailers! Find participating retailers here.   

• Find your nearest food bank by visiting  www.vafoodbanks.org/virginia-food-bank-locator  

• To get information on community resources,  visit 2-1-1 website, call 2-1-1, or text CONNECT  to 247211.   

• Families can reapply for free and reduced-price school meals at any time their income changes. School meals are a low- or no-cost way that families can stretch their budgets and connect their children with the nutrition that they need. For more information, visit your school website or check out this school meals application directory. 

• Continue to apply for SNAP benefits through your local Department of Social Services or CommonHelp. Applications will still be processed so that families can get their benefits as soon as possible once the shutdown ends, and SNAP benefits are reinstated.  

• If you need help, contact the SNAP Helpline (a project of Virginia Poverty Law Center) at 866-753-7627 to talk to a trained representative who can help navigate the SNAP application process.  

How Can I Advocate Right Now?  

Virginians should contact their Congressional representatives in the House of Representatives and the Senate using this action alert and demand that the USDA and federal government find the willpower to prioritize families who depend on SNAP to get the nutrition they need. USDA has the funds and authority to act immediately and release funding to states to cover SNAP benefits in November.  

In order to prioritize families and children as we head into the holidays, USDA, Congress, and the President must:  

• Release funding from the USDA contingency fund and transfer available funds to SNAP to guarantee food assistance during the remainder of the shutdown. 

• Members of Congress must communicate directly with USDA and the administration about the urgency of this issue and work to identify bipartisan solutions that ensure SNAP benefits continue into November and beyond, if needed. 

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