Virginia’s SNAP Program to Issue Emergency Benefits

Existing clients will receive additional benefits in March and April

Emergency benefits will be made available to Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants during the months of March and April, as part of a provision set forth by the Families First Coronavirus Responses Act of 2020. Under this provision, the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) will issue the emergency benefits to any household not already receiving the maximum benefits. The emergency benefits will allow the household’s current monthly allotment to increase to the maximum allotment for a household of that size as follows:

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Maximum Monthly Allotments
October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020

Maximum SNAP allotments for 48 States and DC

Household Size	Maximum allotment
1	$194
2	$355
3	$509
4	$646
5	$768
6	$921
7	$1,018
8	$1,164
Each additional person	$146

“We must make sure that no Virginian goes hungry during this time of crisis,” said VDSS Commissioner S. Duke Storen. “Increasing the resources available to low-income Virginians to purchase food is vital to fighting hunger.”

The emergency benefits for March will be released this evening and automatically load to recipients’ SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. SNAP households will receive their regular April benefits on their usual issuance date, with emergency benefits added on April 16.

Currently, over 680,000 individuals receive SNAP benefits within the Commonwealth. On average, the monthly SNAP benefit per participant is $119.

Individuals seeking to apply for SNAP benefits may apply online through CommonHelp or by phone to (855) 635-4370.