ROANOKE, Va. – One year after Congress approved major changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, enrollment in Virginia has dropped by more than 100,000 people compared with the same time last year — and advocates say families and the organizations that feed them are feeling the pressure.
The decline comes as food pantries across Southwest Virginia are already managing a steep drop in USDA food shipments. Over the past two months, 10 News has been inside a local pantry watching staff navigate more than a 64% decrease in USDA shipments since the beginning of 2026, alongside a steady rise in people seeking help.
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Lucy Enge, development officer for Commonwealth Catholic Charities Southwest Virginia, says the financial burden is falling on the people who can least afford it.
“It’s costing neighbors more to even come and get food. That’s a real impact on children and families.”
SNAP enrollment falls as policy changes create confusion
Sarah Steely, director of No Kids Hungry, says the drop in enrollment is not the result of one single factor. She points to a combination of raised age requirements, new parental rules, lost exemptions, added paperwork and confusion that together are pushing people out of the program — including some who still qualify.
“Here in Virginia, we don’t have that kid-specific number, but we do know that over 100,000 Virginians have lost their SNAP access since this time last year. That’s a 14% decrease year over year.”
“There are folks that qualify for the program, they’re eligible for the program, but they, for whatever reason, got caught up in the fact that there’s all this new messaging, all these new requirements, or they’re confused about whether or not they do or do not qualify, and they might just self-select to not be participating in SNAP anymore as well.”
Virginia budget sets aside $135M to cover new SNAP costs
Under new federal legislation, states are now required to share in the cost of SNAP — a significant shift away from what has historically been a strictly federal obligation. Virginia lawmakers approved $135 million in the new state budget to help cover costs previously paid by the federal government.
Steely says the investment is important, but the shift carries real consequences for how the state spends money elsewhere.
“Just this time last year, we weren’t responsible for that money. Historically, the federal government has always covered those costs. And that has impacts on our budget. It has impacts on the other things that we can spend money on, whether that’s health care or education or our state parks.”
Food banks brace for growing demand
Steely warns that a weakening SNAP program could further increase demand at food banks and pantries — including Feeding Southwest Virginia and St. Francis House Food Pantry, both of which are already feeling the effects of reduced federal food assistance.
Advocates are now urging Congress to revisit the changes as lawmakers continue negotiating the next federal farm bill, which sets policy for nutrition assistance and agriculture programs. They are hoping lawmakers use the bill as an opportunity to delay or reverse some of the SNAP changes enacted in H.R. 1 last year.
As Congress continues debating future changes to SNAP, 10 News will continue reporting on how those decisions affect families across the region.
If you have recently lost SNAP benefits, had your benefits reduced or experienced challenges navigating the program, 10 News wants to hear from you. Visit the Help Center at help.wsls.com to share your story.