SNAP enrollment drops 14% as Virginia prepares for increased funding burden

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The number of Virginians enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, has dropped 14% since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act went into effect, according to data from the USDA. The latest figures from March show just over 700,000 people in the state remain enrolled in the program.

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is the safety net thousands in Central Virginia rely on to keep food on the table. Still, Les Sinclair with the Food Bank said, SNAP provides nine meals for every one meal the emergency food network provides.

“We know that a drop doesn’t mean a decrease in need, in fact it will probably mean the opposite,” Sinclair said.

HR-1, which passed cuts to SNAP, has coincided with increased demand at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Sinclair said.

“On average, right now we’re seeing 170,000 guest visits every single month, and that’s an all-time high for the food bank on average,” Sinclair said.

Starting October 20, 2027, states will carry a greater portion of the funding burden for SNAP. The Virginia General Assembly set aside $135 million across two years in its budget passed this week to cover the cost.

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is asking Congress to delay the funding change, which Sinclair said would return allocated money to general funds if pushed back.

“SNAP is a big program and it provides a lot of food assistance to people to bridge the gap from where they are now to being citizens who have children who have food, so they can put gas in their car, so they can get to work,” Sinclair said.

If the October 2027 start date holds, Virginia will owe $266 million in SNAP funding. That figure is tied to the state’s 12% payment error rate, which Sinclair said stems largely from administrative mistakes, not fraud.

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