Social Services

There are 15,200 families in Prince William County who receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), providing approximately $5.9 million in food assistance to residents in the county each month. If the federal government shutdown continues, there will be an impact to SNAP, meaning those families may not be issued food assistance if a federal appropriations bill is not passed.

On October 23, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency, stating that “the Commonwealth will provide food benefits.” This means that the Commonwealth will provide SNAP benefits to all Virginia recipients using state general funds for the month of November.

If there is a disruption to SNAP benefits in the future due to the lack of available funding, the county’s Department of Social Services (DSS) will work closely with VDSS and local community partners to minimize the impact and will look at all possible options the county has in assisting families.

Things to Know:

• SNAP is funded at the federal level and supervised by the state. Therefore, Prince William County cannot control or change when SNAP funding will be released. For residents of Prince William County, SNAP benefits are managed through the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) and the local Department of Social Services (DSS).
• Anyone experiencing food insecurity or needs assistance due to the government shutdown can visit the county’s Resource Hub for information about available resources.

Accessing SNAP Benefits Statement:

• Online: You can view your EBT card balance and transaction history by creating an account on the ConnectEBT website or by using the ConnectEBT mobile app.
• By phone: Call the Virginia EBT customer service line at 1-866-281-2448. You can check your balance and hear your recent transaction history over the phone.
• At a store: After making a purchase with your EBT card, your remaining balance is typically printed on the receipt. Many stores also have a customer service desk where you can perform a balance inquiry.

Who to Contact:

• DSS/VDSS: Residents can reach out to the Department of Social Services at 703 792-7500 or the VDSS Benefits Hotline at 1-800-552-3431 if they have questions.
• CommonHelp Web Site: Virginia's centralized online portal (commonhelp.virginia.gov) allows you to apply for and manage various social service benefits, including SNAP.

Updates:

• Prince William County is closely monitoring the situation and recently learned that the Commonwealth will provide SNAP benefits to all Virginia recipients using state general funds for the month of November.
• For other available resources for those impacted by the actions of the federal government, visit the county’s Resource Hub.