Despite being one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, hunger remains a concern for many in our community. The federal shutdown impacted numerous families, and with the holiday season and winter weather quickly approaching this issue may be top of mind for many residents.
Approximately 256,000 people (adults and children) are food insecure in Fairfax County, according to the Capital Area Food Bank’s 2025 Hunger Report.
Hunger in Fairfax County
Food insecurity affects our most vulnerable populations:
According to the Capital Area Food Bank’s 2025 Hunger Report, the prevalence of food insecurity in Fairfax County is 26%. While this marks a slight decrease from 27% in 2024, the report notes that the data was collected prior to the federal shutdown and does not reflect the full impact of lost paychecks among federal workers, including those who accepted DOGE’s DRP program offer. As a result, both the food insecurity rate and demand on emergency food providers may rise in the coming months.
Even at 26%, the food insecurity rate remains alarmingly high. The report highlights several compounding factors contributing to this sustained need such as
- Lagging wage growth relative to inflation, with real wages in the DMV falling faster than the national average. In other words, wages are not keeping pace with the cost of living in the DMV.
- Reduced government benefits, including cuts to SNAP and Medicaid.
- Ongoing employment instability, especially among households impacted by federal spending cuts.
Additionally:
- Very low food security, the most severe status, now affects over 800,000 people in the DMV, 8,000 of which are children residing in Fairfax County.
- Approximately 56,000 SNAP recipients reside in the county; nearly 18,000 of them are older than 50.
- Households in Fairfax are making impossible tradeoffs between food and transportation, medical care, rent or mortgage, and utilities. These choices have long-term consequences for health, housing stability and economic mobility.
The Fairfax Food Council, Emergency Food Strategy Team, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County Government and a network of more than 100 nonprofit and faith communities help raise awareness and provide food and support to residents who are affected.
Take Action to Help Others
Each year, the National Student Campaign Against Hunger designates the week prior to Thanksgiving as National Hunger Awareness Week.
There are several ways you can help support those with food insecurity in Fairfax County:
- Stuff the Bus is a partnership between Fairfax County Government and local nonprofit organizations to support food assistance efforts for families and households. The annual program uses the county’s FASTRAN buses to collect donations for local food banks every winter.
- Get involved with the Fairfax Food Council and explore ways to improve our food system and support healthy food access.
- Contact or visit the volunteer webpages for the organizations listed on this map to learn how you can support emergency food providers in your area.
How to Get Help
There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance:
- Call Coordinated Services Planning for assistance at 703-222-0880.
- Utilize the Emergency Food Access Map to connect to emergency food distributors across Fairfax County.
- Apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides funds that can be used like cash to buy eligible food items from authorized retailers.
- Keep up with SNAP updates.
- Sign up for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), a supplemental food program for pregnant, postpartum or nursing women, infants or children under five years of age.
- Request home-delivered meals for older adults who would like meals in their home.
- Apply for Free and Reduced Cost meals with FCPS.
- Find after-school meals programs at select schools.
- Visit the Human Services Resource Guide to find organizations that can assist.
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