Dogwood Elementary School - November 5, 2025

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 11/05/2025 04:51 PM EST

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Federal Government Shutdown:

Important SNAP Updates

SNAP benefits will not be issued in November. To fill the gap, Virginia has started a program called VENA (Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance). There is no application process for VENA. Benefits will be issued weekly only to people approved for SNAP as of Oct. 29, 2025. VENA will be funded on a weekly basis instead of once a month and will be added to existing SNAP EBT cards starting November 3, 2025.  To check your balance before you shop, call 1-866-281-2448 and enter the 16-digit number on your card. Basis needs assistance (CSP) call: 703-222-0880 (M-F, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). 

Visit: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ and search “food access program.”

To see our full list of health and human services, visit: bit.ly/Fairfax-HHS

SNAP

Federal Employee/Contractor Resources

Federal Shutdown Resources

  • Shutdown Assistance Map (SAM) by MyFEDBenefits – searchable interactive map for local offers (food, housing, utilities, financial help) for federal/furloughed workers. MyFEDBenefits
  • Statewide resource hubs – For example, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) page for Federal workers in Virginia. Virginia Employment Commission

State & regional workforce supports

  • Virginia Employment Commission-“Resources for Virginia’s Former Federal Employees and Other Workers Impacted by Federal Government” (via VEC/Virginia Works) offers job transition services, training, unemployment UI guidance for furloughed federal workers & contractors. 
  • The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) indicates “Federal Government Shutdown Resources” for the region. Nova Region 

Capitol Area Food Bank

Capital Area Food Bank is committed to providing food for our neighbors in need, throughout the year and in unexpected moments of economic hardship.

  • To support federal employees and contractors affected by the government shutdown, the food bank is holding additional food distributions at locations throughout its partner network. These new food distributions will offer boxes of shelf-stable pantry items and fresh produce for the duration of the shutdown.
  • These new food distributions will begin the week of October 20th. To receive food, visitors will need to show a government work ID.