SNAP Payments Continue In Virginia
As the federal government shutdown stretches on, the Rockbridge Area Relief Association (RARA) is assuring local residents that it will continue providing food to anyone in need — even as potential delays in SNAP benefits raise concerns among thousands of families.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, provides more than $551,000 each month to nearly 2,000 households in the Rockbridge area, according to RARA. Any disruption to that funding, the nonprofit said, would have a major impact on local families and increase pressure on food pantries across the region.
“SNAP benefits provide critical support to families who are working hard to make ends meet,” RARA said in an email to community partners this week. “Any disruption would have a significant impact, but please know that RARA is here to help and will not run out of food.”
Last Thursday, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to ensure Virginians can continue to receive food assistance if federal funding lapses due to the government shutdown.
According to the governor’s office, the declaration allows Virginia to use emergency funds under state authority to protect the health, welfare, and safety of residents. The move enables the state to continue food assistance programs until normal federal funding resumes.
While the declaration appears to secure SNAP benefits for November, RARA Executive Director Lindsey Pérez said in an email to The News-Gazette that the organization is “keeping a close eye on updates at the state and federal level.”
Pérez said about 40 percent of the households who visit RARA’s Neighborhood Grocery programs report receiving SNAP benefits.
“Many of our clients are likely eligible but don’t participate due to lack of knowledge, stigma, or other barriers,” she said. “There are also people who don’t need to come to RARA because they are receiving SNAP.”
For now, RARA is not extending hours or changing eligibility requirements. “We have many options for people to get food throughout the week,” Peréz said.
No identification, documentation, or pre-registration is required to visit RARA’s Neighborhood Grocery programs. New visitors are asked a few brief questions about household size during their first visit.
In Lexington, the Grocery can be found at 350 Spotswood Dr., and is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Scheduled pickups can be arranged at raralex.org.
The Neighborhood Grocery in Goshen is at 9742 Maury River Road, and is open Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m.
Residents can also find a full list of grocery and hot meal options throughout the county by visiting rockbridgefeeds. org.
“If benefits don’t arrive, that’s the first place people should check,” Pérez said. “It lists all upcoming food distributions across the area.”
Monetary donations are the most effective way to support RARA right now, Peréz said, since they allow the nonprofit to purchase food and household items in bulk.
“Some of our most needed items are health and hygiene products, baby food or diapers, soup, and canned meat,” she said.
RARA is not seeking additional volunteers at this time, but ongoing opportunities can be found at raralex.org/volunteer or by calling (540) 463-6943.
