As Virginia’s child poverty rate rises, local advocates push for long-term solutions

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A new report shows more and more of Virginia's children are living in poverty. Advocates say government programs are the reason the rate isn’t even higher.

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s latest analysis of the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), Virginia’s child poverty rate has risen from 9% to 12% over the past three years. This means roughly 230,000 children across the Commonwealth are currently living in poverty.

The SPM accounts for essential expenses such as housing, medical and childcare. It also measures the effectiveness of resources like tax credits, food assistance and housing subsidies. 

While Virginia’s child poverty rate remains below the national average of 13%, researchers say it’s a sign that families are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of living.

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“We see many families that work one or two jobs that are living in poverty,” said Liz Nigro, director of research at Voices for Virginia’s Children. “We also know that many families are just one or two missed paychecks away from being sent into poverty.”

The report notes that child poverty in Virginia hit a historic low in 2021 -- largely thanks to pandemic-era relief programs like the expanded Child Tax Credit and other federal supports. Once those benefits expired, however, child poverty rates climbed back toward pre-pandemic levels.

“It’s disheartening to see these solutions were implemented, they really had success ... and then we backslid,” Nigro said.

The findings come as the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week, disrupting programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that millions of families depend on for food.

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Nigro said that, without these government programs, Virginia’s child poverty rate would nearly double.

“If we were to again remove those supportive services, about 148,000 more children would be in poverty, and that Virginia poverty rate would [rise] to about 20%,” she said.

In response to the looming threat of losing SNAP benefits, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a new state-run system called the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance Program (VENA). The initiative will temporarily provide food benefits if federal funding remains frozen into November.

“We are creating a parallel food assistance program or system that, in fact, is gonna step in where the federal government is not able to,” Youngkin said.

Advocates at Voices for Virginia’s Children say programs like VENA are critical short-term solutions, but emphasize that long-term stability will require consistent investment in families through state and federal policy.

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“We saw almost an elimination of child poverty through policy choices. We know it’s possible,” Nigro said. “So knowing the solutions are out there, we just need to, as a collective, invest to make sure that child poverty is alleviated.”

The organization plans to advocate during the upcoming General Assembly session for a state-level Child Tax Credit, which it says could help ensure Virginia families have the financial support they need.