PORCH Roanoke Fills SNAP Gap - TheRoanoker.com

Federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are putting Virginia families and food pantries under unprecedented strain. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, about $197 billion was cut under One Big Beautiful Bill, translating into over $350 million in reduced support for Virginia’s nearly 450,000 SNAP enrollees. More than half of the 874,000 Virginians who received $1.76 billion in SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2024 are expected to lose all or some of their benefits under new federal rules. 

Filling the gap is PORCH Roanoke, launched in August 2024 to mobilize neighbors to collect and deliver food directly to local pantries. In its first year, PORCH Roanoke delivered 6,751 pounds of food (equivalent to 5,625 meals) across the valley, supporting the Presbyterian Community Center, Salem/Roanoke County Food Pantry, Friendship House, Vinton Baptist Church, and St. Francis House, with the Agape Center to be added this fall.