SNAP cuts may spike Virginia food bank demand as insecurity surges
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Around 50,000 Virginians are at risk of losing at least some of their food assistance as a result of President Trump's megabill signed into law last week, per estimates from the left-leaning Center on Policy and Budget Priorities.
Why it matters: The loss of those benefits will likely push more Virginians to food banks, which are already facing record-high demand and the loss of millions in federal funding.
- "It's going to be impossible for food banks to fill the gap," says Eddie Oliver, executive director of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks.
The big picture: The new law introduces several key changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps).
- Work requirements will now apply to most parents with children age 14 or older, requiring them to work at least 20 hours per week to maintain benefits.
- Age limits for work requirements rise to 64 (up from 54).
- Eligibility is removed for certain immigrant groups, including refugees and people granted asylum.
- State funding obligations will increase starting in 2028, with states covering a portion of benefit costs based on their rate of erroneous payments. Currently, benefits are 100% federally funded, though states share administrative costs.
With the new split, beginning in 2028, Virginia will have to come up with an estimated $250 million a year in administrative costs for SNAP, Oliver tells Axios.
Meanwhile, roughly 2,500 jobs could be lost in the state, per an analysis from the Commonwealth Fund.
By the numbers: More than 814,000 Virginians received SNAP benefits as of March 2025, per federal data. That's about 9% of the state population.
- If any of those lose benefits, they will join the 1 million Virginians (a record high), including roughly 125,000 people in the Richmond region, who are currently experiencing food insecurity, Oliver says.
The other side: The White House and congressional Republicans argue that cuts to these benefits are a way to push more people into the labor market and reduce dependence on government assistance, as well as an effort to reduce waste, fraud and abuse, Axios' Emily Peck reports.