10/07/2026
Hunger doesn’t always look like an empty plate.
Sometimes it looks like a parent skipping a meal so their child can eat.
Sometimes it looks like choosing groceries over gas.
Sometimes it looks like a family already struggling to find stable housing - and now facing one more hurdle to keeping food assistance.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) rules have changed, and the impact is being felt across the state.
Virginia’s first-ever statewide hunger study found that 42% of Virginia households experienced food insecurity, including more than half of households with children.
Here in our region, the picture is just as concerning. 40% of households surveyed were food insecure, rising to 44% among households with children.
And under the new SNAP rules, experiencing homelessness is no longer, by itself, an exemption from work requirements. For people subject to the requirement, maintaining benefits generally means completing 80 hours a month of work, education, training or qualifying volunteer service.
For someone experiencing homelessness, that can be one more challenge during an already difficult transition.
Finding a job.
Finding transportation.
Replacing lost documents.
Caring for children.
Finding permanent housing.
And now, navigating new requirements to keep food assistance.
Homelessness is rarely just about housing.
It’s about all the challenges that can stand between a person and stability.
At The Brisben Center, we believe everyone deserves more than a place to sleep.
They deserve a safe place to begin again - and a community willing to help them move from homeless to home.
As the need grows, your support matters.
💙 Help your neighbor.
💙 Support The Brisben Center.
💙 Help make the path home possible.
For further information please see this Fredericksburg Free Press article:
https://www.fredericksburgfreepress.com/2026/09/28/first-virginia-food-insecurity-survey-finds-that-hunger-is-an-urgent-and-growing-threat/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUzcnZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4ilmSkaJaw2TLK2q1MQeM0ff_v0dPvMOPyekJQQOvr29aRzxcnGXyAcgtE4w_aem_Pa7wZNhhAivj7x2wZPrM3Q
