Virginia Hunger Study Finds 37% of Blue Ridge Households Faced Food Insecurity

More than one in three households in Virginia’s Blue Ridge region experienced food insecurity during the past year, according to a new statewide study released Monday, Sept. 21.

The 2026 Virginia Hunger Study found that 37% of households in the Blue Ridge region experienced food insecurity between May 2025 and May 2026. Among children in the region, 35% experienced food insecurity during the same period.

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank highlighted the findings Monday as evidence of the financial pressure facing families as food, gasoline, utilities, and other household expenses have increased.

“The findings are striking, but not surprising,” said Kari Diener, CEO of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “This data confirms what we and our network of partners see every day as we serve record numbers of neighbors.”

Diener said many families are working but struggling to keep household income in line with rising expenses.

“Parents are skipping meals, older adults are choosing between groceries and medicine, and too many children are going without balanced meals,” she said.

The study found even higher rates of food insecurity statewide.

Across Virginia, 42% of households surveyed experienced food insecurity, which the study defined as all members of a household lacking consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.

Among Virginia families with children, 51% reported not having enough food.

Inflation was identified as a major source of financial pressure among households experiencing food insecurity.

In the Blue Ridge region, 81% of food-insecure families said higher grocery prices worsened their financial situation. Another 79% pointed to gasoline and utility costs.

The statewide report concluded that inflation has had a “severe impact” on food-insecure households’ budgets.

Food insecurity can also affect decisions beyond what families put on the dinner table.

According to the statewide study, 76% of food-insecure adults reported having been diagnosed with one or more chronic health conditions.

In the Blue Ridge area, families reported coping with financial pressure by putting off medical care, purchasing less healthy food and using savings to cover expenses.

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank said the increasing need has required it to distribute more food while also expanding the ways it reaches families.

The organization distributed 33 million pounds of food last year. It has also purchased additional food, expanded partnerships with schools and health clinics, and invested in local organizations to improve access in underserved communities.

But Food Bank leaders say charitable organizations cannot address the problem by themselves.

“Charitable food alone cannot close this gap,” Diener said. “We need strong partnerships, smart policy, and community support to ensure every family in the Blue Ridge can count on consistent access to nutritious food.”

The findings come from what organizers describe as the first statewide Virginia-specific survey to measure food insecurity using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module.

NORC at the University of Chicago conducted the study in partnership with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks and its seven member food banks, the Virginia Department of Social Services, Virginia Tech, and No Kid Hungry Virginia.

The study interviewed more than 5,600 Virginians in May.

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank serves communities across western and central Virginia through its headquarters in Verona and distribution centers in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Winchester.

Founded in 1981, the organization serves 25 counties and eight cities through more than 300 community partners and programs, including food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens and other food distribution sites.

The Food Bank reports an average of 178,700 guest visits each month.

For the organization, the new study provides statewide data to accompany what its staff and community partners say they are already experiencing firsthand: more households struggling to consistently put enough food on the table.

More information about the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is available at brafb.org.