The Fairfax Girl Team The headlines are hard to escape, and the blame is being shared every which way. But the hard truth is that many Northern Virginia neighbors and others nationwide will be impacted by the gap in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The federally funded program provides food assistance to low-income families who have qualified for the program. The federal government shutdown, plus a change in eligibility requirements, has created a challenging situation for many in the area. Read on for more about the situation and local resources in the community.
Editor’s note: this list is continually added to include more local resources. Please email [email protected] to share more information.
Background Information
The federal government shutdown began on October 1st, 2025. Because the government’s budget for fiscal year 2026 has not been approved, all government programs are effectively on hold. This includes safety net programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would typically be funded at the beginning of each month.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the government agency that administers the program, and it has said that it will not tap its emergency funds to cover the benefits. Per the USDA, in fiscal year (FY) 2022, 777,134 people in 394,411 households received SNAP benefits in Virginia. According to statistics from the Virginia Department of Social Services, as of September 2025, there are 439,865 Households totaling 854,169 people receiving SNAP benefits.
In Virginia
Of course, the hope is that the federal government will resolve the situation and reopen. But the reality is that the shutdown has already been the longest in history as of this writing (October 29th, 2025)
The Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB), one of the region’s largest hunger relief programs, shared results in its May 2025 study indicating worsening hunger in the region. The yearly study was conducted before the federal government shutdown
On October 28th, 2025, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced a plan to support Virginia food banks using emergency funds from the state. The Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) initiative will provide $1 million in benefits to SNAP recipients as a stopgap measure. The funds will be distributed weekly to established SNAP recipients using their regular EBT cards.
211 Virginia – 211 Virginia is a free and confidential resource. It connects Virginians with resources, including non-profits, government agencies, and more.
Virginia Federation of Food Banks – This is a statewide network of food banks. Neighbors can search for food resources nearby and participate in local advocacy activities.
Northern Virginia Resources
Many readers are asking for resources on where to donate or where to get support. Here is a list of local organizations in Northern Virginia that work with volunteers and donations to support the community. This list will be updated.
America’s Soup Kitchen
42622 Suny Bay Court, Chantilly
Arlington Food Assistance Center
2708 S. Nelson Street, Arlington
BetterALife Inc.
201 N. Maple Avenue, Unit F, Purcellville
Columbia Church Food Pantry
3245 Glen Carlyn Road., Falls Church
Capital Area Food Bank
6833 Hill Park Drive
Lorton, VA
Phone: (571) 482-4770
Cornerstones (Assistance Services & Pantry Program) Dulles South Food Pantry Ecumenical Community Helping Others
11150 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 210
Reston, VA
Phone: (571) 323-955
24757 Arcola Mills Drive, Dulles
7205 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield
Fairfax County Emergency Food Assistance
Food for Others
2938 Prosperity Avenue
Fairfax, VA
Phone: (703) 207-9173
Food for Neighbors Haymarket Regional Food Pantry
Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, + Loudoun Counties)
7669 Limestone Drive, Suite 105, Gainesville
Helping Hungry Kids
Reston
Herndon Reston FISH
1801 Robert Fulton Drive, Suite 120-E, Reston
ICNA Relief in Alexandria
2912 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria
LINK Against Hunger
Multiple area locations/mobile services
Lorton Community Action Center
9506 Richmond Highway, Lorton
Loudoun Hunger Relief
750 Miller Drive, Suite 110, Leesburg
Northern Virginia Family Service (Hunger Resource Center)
Prince William County / Manassas
Phone: (571) 748-2500
Northern Virginia Food Rescue
10535 Battleview Parkway
Manassas, VA
Phone: (703) 822-5205
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