Emergency Assistance for Single Mothers in Virginia

Where to start

Use this order when everything feels urgent. First, handle danger, shelter, food, and medicine. Keep case notes.

Quick help table

Food and cash help

SNAP food benefits

Virginia SNAP gives monthly food benefits on an EBT card. Apply through CommonHelp, call 833-522-5582, or contact your local DSS office.

Ask about expedited SNAP if your household has very little income or cash and needs food quickly. Say clearly that you have little food and need to be screened for expedited SNAP. Answer interview calls and upload proof quickly.

SNAP helps with groceries, but it cannot solve every food gap. For same-day food, call 211 and search food banks. For national food guidance, see ASMOM’s SNAP guide.

TANF cash assistance

Virginia TANF gives eligible families monthly cash payments for basic needs and connects some parents to work, education, and training services. A child generally must live with a parent or relative caregiver, be a Virginia resident, and be part of a family in financial need. Apply online, by phone, or through local DSS.

Ask DSS whether ongoing TANF or diversionary assistance fits your situation. Diversionary help is meant for some short-term crises when a family may not need ongoing TANF. Ask the worker to explain the rules before you agree. For more details, use ASMOM’s Virginia TANF help guide.

WIC and SUN Bucks

Virginia WIC helps pregnant people, breastfeeding parents, new mothers, infants, and children under 5 with specific foods, nutrition support, breastfeeding support, and referrals. A parent, grandparent, foster parent, or other legal guardian can apply for a child under 5 through Virginia WIC.

Virginia SUN Bucks gives eligible children a summer grocery benefit. Virginia DSS says the 2026 benefit is $120 per eligible child, and applications for 2026 are processed starting May 2026 and end August 31, 2026. Some children qualify automatically, but some households must apply through the SUN Bucks application page. For more WIC details, see ASMOM’s Virginia WIC benefits page.

Housing and utilities

Emergency rent and shelter

Virginia does not have one guaranteed rent fund for every household. Start with 211 and ask for homeless prevention, coordinated entry, shelter intake, rent help, or motel-voucher referrals in your city or county. The state homeless solutions program supports local crisis systems, but families usually enter through local providers.

If you have an eviction notice, a court date, or a lockout threat, ask for legal help right away. Virginia Law Help and local legal aid offices may help with eviction, lockouts, unsafe housing, public benefits, or other civil issues. This article is general information and is not legal advice.

Housing vouchers

Housing Choice Vouchers can help eligible households rent private housing, but they are usually not emergency help. Waiting lists vary by area. Start with the Virginia vouchers page and ask your local housing authority whether a waiting list is open.

Energy and utility bills

Virginia Energy Assistance helps eligible households with heating, cooling, crisis energy needs, and weatherization. The state says households generally need a heating or cooling expense and gross monthly income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level for fuel, crisis, or cooling help.

The main state windows are: fuel assistance from the second Tuesday in October through the second Friday in November; crisis assistance from November 1 through March 15 for equipment and deposits, and January through March 15 for some fuel or utility bills; and cooling assistance from June 15 through August 15. Apply through CommonHelp, by phone at 855-635-4370, or with a paper form. For more bill steps, see ASMOM’s Virginia utility help guide.

Health care and child care

Medicaid, FAMIS, and pregnancy coverage

Use Cover Virginia for Medicaid, FAMIS, FAMIS MOMS, and pregnancy coverage questions. Cover Virginia says Medicaid coverage must be renewed each year. If you moved, changed phones, or missed mail, update your contact information quickly so you do not lose notices.

For urgent care, ask a hospital, clinic, health department, or community health center about application help. For a plain overview, use ASMOM’s Virginia health care guide.

Child care subsidy

The Virginia Child Care Subsidy Program may help eligible families pay for child care while a parent works, attends school, or takes part in training. The state says families can apply through CommonHelp or submit an application to local DSS. Ask about approved providers, copays, and waitlists.

For backup care, ask your child’s school, employer, Head Start program, local DSS, and 211. Search the federal Head Start Locator if you have a baby, toddler, or preschool-age child. For more help, use ASMOM’s Virginia child care page.

Work, child support, and local backup

Unemployment after job loss

If you lost your job or your hours were cut, file through the Virginia Employment Commission. The VEC application page explains how to apply, and the VEC benefits page says new claims filed on or after January 4, 2026 have a minimum weekly benefit of $112 and a maximum of $430, based on covered wages and claim rules.

Unemployment is not same-day help. Keep filing weekly claims, report gross wages when earned, and read any denial deadline right away.

Child support services

Virginia’s Division of Child Support Enforcement can help establish, collect, and enforce child support. Start with the official child support services page. Child support can help long term, but it is not usually same-week help.

If child support connects to custody, abuse, stalking, or safety, ask legal aid or a domestic violence advocate before sharing information that could create risk. For a state-specific overview, see ASMOM’s Virginia child support guide.

Community Action and nonprofits

Local help may include food, diapers, transportation, utility help, weatherization, school supplies, or small one-time funds. Virginia Community Action agencies vary by city or county, so ask which agency serves your address. For local resource planning, use ASMOM’s Virginia community support page.

Documents checklist

Apply or call first if the need is urgent. Then send proof as soon as you can. Use ASMOM’s documents checklist if you are applying for several programs.