Advocacy

Government Shutdown 2025

For millions of people, a government shutdown means uncertainty about paychecks, food benefits, and how to cover everyday essentials.

At a time when food insecurity is already at its highest level in nearly a decade, a prolonged shutdown can:

  • Disrupt paychecks for federal employees, active-duty military members, and federal contractors.
  • Put children, seniors, and people with disabilities at greater risk of hunger as SNAP and other food benefits face interruptions.
  • Place even more strain on food banks already working hard to meet record levels of need.

On the Greater Peninsula, over 70,000 individuals experience food insecurity, up from 60,000 people the year prior. That means 1 in 8 of our neighbors do not always have guaranteed access to safe, healthy, and nourishing food to eat every day.

Anytime there is a disruption in daily life, like a government shutdown, foodbanks are called to the front lines to meet the increased need. The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank will always continue to show up for our community, but meeting this challenge requires all of us. Now more than ever we need to stand united—lawmakers, businesses, faith communities and individuals—to ensure that no one on the peninsula goes without the food they need to live a thriving life.

Take Action

  • Urge Congress to Reopen the Government: You can use this form to contact our local representatives and advocate for impacted families.
  • Donate: The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank will need to purchase more food as the shutdown continues. For every $1 donated, the Foodbank can provide three meals. Give what you can here to help provide meals to our neighbors in need.
  • Share the Impact: You can download an Impact Sheet about the shutdown here to share with your network.
  • Tell the Foodbank’s Story: Talk to your neighbors, community leaders, churches, and organizations about food insecurity, the work of the Foodbank and how it serves people in need of food assistance in our community. Government shutdowns can push people who’ve never needed help before to seek food assistance and learn what resources are available. If you would like a speaker from the Foodbank to speak to your organization, please reach out at info@hrfoodbank.org.

 Updated October 14, 2025

Farm Bill

Feeding America and the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank continues to urge Congress to support and strengthen our nation's nutrition and agriculture programs in the Farm Bill.

Feeding America is asking Congress to double funding for annual TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) food purchases to $500 million per year, double funding for TEFAP storage and distribution to $200 million per year, and ensure that SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is strengthened, protected and its purchasing power remains strong.

These programs are hunger lifelines for our communities and foodbanks, including the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. TEFAP provides our nation's emergency feeding organizations with U.S.- grown food to help community members put food on the table. Increasing funding for TEFAP can help ensure foodbanks have a reliable food source and strengthen our agricultural economy.

SNAP is the nation's largest and most effective anti-hunger program. It provides benefits that are timely, targeted and temporary to help people buy the food they need for healthy lives. When there are cuts or disruptions to access that SNAP provides families, there is an increase in neighbors seeking food assistance from local foodbanks.

The resources provided through the Farm Bill offer essential support to our capacity to acquire and distribute food.  Strengthening and enhancing these programs, when possible, enables us to serve even more of our neighbors in need.

You can make a difference by encouraging government officials to support policies that help feed our neighbors across the Greater Peninsula.  We will keep you informed of legislation and initiatives that relate to food assistance and hunger relief, and we also invite you to share your personal story with us to put a face to the solvable challenge of food insecurity.  You can help us communicate the true impact of hunger by providing insight as to how it has affected your life or the lives of people you know.

If you’d like to share your story of food insecurity, please contact us at (757) 596-7188 or info@hrfoodbank.org.

 

Sign Up for Advocacy Alerts

Join the Federation of Virginia Food Banks in working toward a hunger-free Virginia! Sign up today for their statewide advocacy alerts and you’ll receive timely updates on important food access policies and opportunities to take action. Whether it’s contacting legislators, supporting key initiatives, or spreading awareness, you’ll be equipped to make a real difference for neighbors facing food insecurity.

Sign up today and help us achieve a hunger-free Virginia!