Virginia will provide emergency nutrition assistance to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in November, following Governor Glenn Youngkin’s declaration of a state of emergency. This measure allows the state to issue Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) payments while the federal government shutdown halts regular SNAP funding.
Virginia is the first state in the United States to use its own emergency funds for this purpose during a federal shutdown. The goal is to ensure that food assistance continues for eligible households until normal distributions can resume after the shutdown.
Weekly VENA benefits will be distributed based on recipients’ usual SNAP payment schedule. Starting November 3, customers who typically receive SNAP benefits on the 1st of each month will get weekly VENA payments on Mondays. Those who receive benefits on the 4th will get them on Wednesdays, and those scheduled for the 7th will receive payments on Fridays.
More details about VENA are available at www.dss.virginia.gov/VENA.
