Virginia Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from Northern Virginia to the Blue Ridge and the Chesapeake Bay
High rents in Northern Virginia, a shipyard layoff in Hampton Roads or a mine closing in the southwest hills can all leave a family short. Helping Hands shows you which Virginia assistance programs fit your circumstances and how to get to them.
You describe the problem. We match it to programs, explain the eligibility basics and name the Virginia offices that take applications.
We serve all 133 counties and independent cities in Virginia. Maybe you live in Virginia Beach or Richmond, in Fairfax or Chesterfield County, or on a back road in the Shenandoah Valley. You get the same free guidance.
Virginians find help through the Virginia Department of Social Services, local social services offices, federal programs, food banks and community action agencies. We help you sort through the options in your city or county.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
No two programs use the same rulebook. Income, household size, age, disability, housing costs and work history can all change what you qualify for.
Helping Hands helps you see which programs may fit and where your application starts.
Virginia Financial Assistance Programs
A furlough, a hurricane on the coast or a serious illness can empty a bank account before you see it coming. Virginia families can turn to several kinds of financial help, based on their situation.
If you're struggling to cover the basics, we help you find the resources that fit and show you where to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
Virginia Food Assistance and SNAP Benefits
Groceries claim a larger share of the budget every time prices go up.
Our Virginia guide covers Virginia food assistance programs like SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Virginia puts SNAP benefits on an EBT card you can swipe at approved grocery stores.
Short on groceries before the month ends? Look into SNAP eligibility first.
You can apply for SNAP, TANF, energy assistance and Cardinal Care health coverage through the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) online at CommonHelp or at your local department of social services.
We can also help Virginia residents locate:
Virginia Utility Bill Assistance
Virginia gets hot, humid summers and cold snaps in the mountains, so power and heating bills swing with the seasons. Falling behind on electric, gas or water puts you at risk of a disconnection.
You'll find the utility assistance programs open to qualifying Virginians on this page, along with who runs each one.
Resources may include information about:
Virginia Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Virginia runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as its Energy Assistance Program (EAP), managed by the Virginia Department of Social Services.
EAP covers fuel assistance in winter, crisis help and cooling assistance in summer. Local departments of social services handle applications, and each part of the program has its own application window, so check current dates with your local office.
We help you find that office and get your application started.
Virginia Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
Rent in Arlington or Alexandria can take a big share of a paycheck, and even smaller Virginia cities have seen costs rise.
Behind on rent, facing eviction, looking for an affordable place or worried about losing your home? We can connect you with Virginia programs and local organizations that may help.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying Virginia residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in Virginia
If you need a cheaper place to live in Virginia, learn how Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized housing work.
Local housing authorities and the state housing agency run these programs, and rules and wait lists differ from one locality to the next.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
Virginia Eviction Assistance
An eviction case moves on a tight schedule in Virginia's courts. If you got a notice or fell behind on rent, act now.
Helping Hands points you to rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and local community resources across Virginia.
Help may come from nonprofits, legal aid groups, local agencies or housing programs, depending on what you're facing.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in Virginia
Homeowners who fall behind on the mortgage have the most options at the start, before the missed payments grow.
Virginia homeowners can get information and referrals for foreclosure prevention and housing counseling through our pages.
Behind on the mortgage? Call your servicer and a housing counselor soon.
Virginia Assistance for Seniors
Virginians over 60 may qualify for help with health care, home-delivered meals, housing, rides and monthly bills.
For Medicare questions, call the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) at 1-800-552-3402.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
Virginia Cardinal Care, Medicaid and Medicare Resources
Medical costs press hardest on seniors, people with disabilities and families with low incomes.
Helping Hands helps you find information about Medicare, Cardinal Care (Virginia Medicaid), health-care assistance and other medical resources that fit your situation.
Medicare and Cardinal Care follow separate rules, so review the current requirements for the program you want.
Disability Assistance in Virginia
Virginians with disabilities may qualify for specialized programs, waiver services and community support.
Waiver programs and other disability services in Virginia each have their own qualifications, so review them program by program.
Helping Hands can help Virginia residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for Virginia Residents
Benefit denials, landlord disputes and debt collection suits can all call for a lawyer.
If you qualify, Virginia legal aid and free legal resources may take your case, and we show you where to look.
Each legal aid organization decides who it can represent for free or at low cost.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
Getting back on your feet can take more than one check.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that can help Virginians land better jobs and build a steadier income.
Resources may include:
Virginia Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? Virginia food banks and their partner pantries serve every region, from the Eastern Shore to the far southwest.
Use our Virginia listings to find food close to home, with options for families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone having a rough month.
Out of food or behind on a bill today? Dial 2-1-1 in Virginia. 211 Virginia links you to local services any time of day.
Assistance Available Throughout All 133 Virginia Counties And Independent Cities
Helping Hands shares program information and guidance across all 133 counties and independent cities in Virginia.
Our Virginia resources cover cities, suburbs and rural counties, including:
- Virginia Beach
- Chesapeake
- Norfolk
- Richmond
- Newport News
- Alexandria
- Hampton
- Roanoke
- Portsmouth
- Suffolk
- Lynchburg
- Charlottesville
- Harrisonburg
- Leesburg
- Fredericksburg
- Fairfax County
- Prince William County
- Loudoun County
- Chesterfield County
- Henrico County
- And communities throughout Virginia
From a Norfolk apartment to a farm in Southside Virginia, the help you can get depends on your household and the programs running in your locality.
How Helping Hands Can Help
Between state agencies, local offices, forms and wait lists, finding the right program can wear you out.
Consider Helping Hands your guide to the options open to Virginians, from Arlington to Abingdon.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
Our help costs Virginians nothing, and the resource information is free too.
Need Help in Virginia? Start Here.
Food, rent, utilities, medical bills or another emergency weighing on you? You can skip the hunt through a dozen Virginia agency websites.
Tell us your situation, and we'll name the Virginia agencies and organizations that may help.
Common Virginia Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- SNAP / Food Stamps
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP (EAP)
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- Cardinal Care (Medicaid)
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate Virginia Assistance
Need help right now? Dial 2-1-1 for 211 Virginia and ask about local food, shelter and utility help in your city or county.
For SNAP, TANF, energy assistance and Cardinal Care, contact the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) or your local department of social services.
For Medicare questions, call the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) at 1-800-552-3402.
Our aim is to make Virginia's programs, from CommonHelp to Cardinal Care, easier to follow.
Explore Virginia assistance programs today and find out where you may qualify.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
