On Monday, Virginia will become the first state to fund food assistance while the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is paused due to the federal government shutdown.
In the absence of federal SNAP funding, the commonwealth will roll out a separate, temporary emergency food program called Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance, or VENA, to all Virginia residents who were enrolled in SNAP in October.
Unlike SNAP, which provided benefits once per month, VENA funds will be distributed to EBT cards on a weekly basis in smaller increments, which may disrupt meal planning schedules for recipients.
The first VENA benefits will be distributed on Nov. 3, 5 and 7, based on alphabetical groupings of recipients’ last names, and every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of November thereafter. SNAP benefits would have been distributed on Nov. 1, 4 and 7, which means the majority of recipients will experience a gap in when SNAP benefits end and VENA begins.
Here’s a list of select food banks, pantries and meal services in Cardinal Country where you can get food supplies or donate food, money or time as the state adapts to the new food assistance program.
Visit Feeding Southwest Virginia and Blue Ridge Area Food Bank for full lists of hundreds of nearby food distribution sites. In addition, Fresh Match compiles a list of locations on its website that double SNAP benefits for fruits and vegetables.
Roanoke
Local Office on Aging – Seniors in the Roanoke area in need of emergency food assistance can call the LOA office at (540) 345-0451.
The LOA receives food donations from civic organizations throughout the year. Those who would like to donate food items can find more information here. Check expiration dates before donating items. Items can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at LOA’s main office: 4932 Frontage Road NW.
The Roanoke Rescue Mission provides community meals three times per day, every day. Anyone can come to the community meals. Information about food donations and volunteer opportunities can be found here.
Manna Food Pantry, a weekly food distribution program operated by the Roanoke Rescue Mission, provides 60-pound boxes of groceries to struggling families in the Roanoke region.
Registration is open to all. To sign up, text 540-598-5203, and a pickup day will be assigned to you. Pick up is between 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. More information can be found on the organization’s website.
St. Francis House Food Pantry is seeing an increase in the number of individuals and families in need of support each month. They are running low on basics, such as canned vegetables, bags of rice, pasta and other nonperishable food items. They’re also in need of diapers and feminine hygiene products. More information can be found on their website.
A complete list of Roanoke food banks and resources can be found on the Roanoke Area Food Pantries webpage.
Greater Lynchburg Area
Lighthouse Community Center – The Lighthouse Community Center offers free grab-and-go meals from 12:30 to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. A full list of the center’s services — ranging from a clothes closet to transportation assistance — and information on how to volunteer is available on the center’s website. They are located at 1310 Church St. in Lynchburg and can be reached at (434) 847-5050.
Lynchburg Daily Bread – Lynchburg Daily Bread serves hot, free lunch every day from 10:15 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. at 721 Clay St. The organization accepts food and monetary donations and is always welcoming new volunteers. More information is available on the organization’s website.
Madison House of the Arts – Leah’s Pantry at Madison House of the Arts distributes food every Tuesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at its location at 607 Madison St. in Lynchburg. The creative space has a mission to uplift the community through making art and offering essential services, according to its website. Information on how to volunteer and access services can be found online or by calling (434) 849-1262.
Monacan Indian Nation – The Monacan Indian Food Bank, located at 111 Highview Drive in Madison Heights, offers food distribution by appointment. More information on how to apply to become a client is available online.
Park View Community Mission – This food pantry at 2420 Memorial Ave. in Lynchburg runs food distribution on Thursdays and Saturdays and hosts a free community dinner from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Volunteer time slots can be booked online, and more information can be requested at (434) 845-8468 or info@parkviewmission.org. A full list of Park View’s services is available on its website.
Red Truck Ministry – This mobile food pantry, run out of a refurbished Coca-Cola truck, delivers free groceries to seven locations in Lynchburg. Their delivery schedule is available on their website. Monetary donations can be made, and volunteer applications can be submitted on their website as well. Red Truck Ministry can also be reached by email at redtruckmin@gmail.com and by phone at (434) 363-8438.
Rustburg United Methodist Church Food Pantry – This Rustburg church hosts food distribution each second Saturday of the month from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The next event will be hosted on Nov. 8 at 664 Village Hwy. More information is available on the pantry’s Facebook page.
Solid Rock Church – This Madison Heights church runs a food pantry from its location on 110 Church St. More information on how to donate and access services is available on the ministry’s Facebook page.
A complete list of Lynchburg area food pantries and programs is available on Lynchburg Feeds’ website.
Martinsville
Henry County Food Pantry and Clothes Closet – Located in Bassett, Virginia, this organization provides food and household items to families in need in the Martinsville and Henry County community. The pantry is open on Monday from 9 a.m. to noon. More information can be found on the pantry’s Facebook page.
Martinsville- Henry County Emergency Food Program – This organization provides monthly food boxes for families in need. More information can be found on the United Way website.
New River Valley
The Market of Virginia Tech, Blacksburg – This market is available for undergraduate or graduate students at Virginia Tech who are struggling to access healthy foods. The market is open for drop-in on Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. It’s located at 801 University City Blvd.
New River Valley Thrive – This local resource provides a food assistance directory where residents can find emergency food resources. The directory is compiled by the Community Foundation of the New River Valley. To learn more about it or add information, residents can reach out at cfnrv@cfnrv.org or 540-381-8999.
Plenty! – This Floyd food pantry is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and offers scheduled deliveries for residents who can’t make it to the 192 Elephant Curve Road location. Information on how to volunteer and access services is available on the organization’s website and can be requested at plenty@swva.net.
Pulaski Daily Bread – Find a free weekday lunch at the First Presbyterian Church in Pulaski. Their website states there is no identification requirement. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 10:30 to 11:55 a.m. The address is 408 Jefferson Ave. N.
Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread – Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread provides lunch at no cost and with no questions asked from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. A meals on wheels service is also available upon request. Find more information on Daily Bread’s website or by calling (540) 838-0310.
Salvation Army NRV – The Salvation Army location in Christiansburg provides hot meals on Mondays and Fridays and food bags on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. More information on how to give and how to access services is available on their website.
Southwest
Sugar Grove Church of God of Prophecy – This Sugar Grove church operates a food pantry for those in need. Find out more on their Facebook page or call 276-284-0539. They are located at 533 Flat Ridge Road in Smyth County.
Cumberland Mountain Mutual Aid – This organization provides mutual aid services for Dickenson, Buchanan and Wise counties. Check out their Facebook page to see food pantries and emergency food services in the area.
Bristol Emergency Food Pantry serves as the city’s primary hunger-relief organization, supported by several volunteer churches in the area. Clients can receive food vouchers at the Washington Street location between 1 and 3 p.m., but must bring a photo ID and Social Security cards for each household member. The pantry is located at 155 Washington St. in Bristol.
United Way Bristol VA/TN also maintains a webpage listing local organizations in urgent need of food donations and personal hygiene donations.
Danville
Danville Salvation Army – The Salvation Army location at 123 Henry St. provides emergency food by appointment. For more information, call (434) 792-3963 or visit the organization’s website.
God’s Storehouse recovers unsold food from retail stores in Danville and Pittsylvania County and distributes it to those in need. Food and monetary donations are accepted, and lists of needed products are available on the organization’s website. Food boxes can be picked up at 750 Memorial Dr. in Danville, and more information can be requested at (434) 793-3663.
For a full list of Danville and Pittsylvania County food assistance resources, visit 2-1-1 Virginia.
Update 11:05 a.m. Nov. 3: This story was updated with additional food assistance resources in Danville.