Two in Five Households: What the Virginia Hunger Study Reveals About Hunger in Our Region
Food insecurity affects more of our neighbors than many people may realize. It can look like a parent skipping a meal so their children have enough to eat, a senior stretching groceries until their next monthly check or a household making difficult decisions between buying food and paying other essential bills.
The newly released 2026 Virginia Hunger Study provides an in-depth look at these experiences, revealing that 40% of households in the Fredericksburg region experienced food insecurity at some point between May 2025 and May 2026.
Statewide, the study found that 42% of Virginia households experienced food insecurity during the same period.
A closer look at hunger in our community
Conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, the study surveyed adults across Virginia. The findings offer a clearer understanding of how our neighbors experience hunger, the financial pressures affecting their households and the challenges they face when seeking assistance.
Locally, 44% of households with children reported experiencing food insecurity, underscoring the challenges many families face in maintaining consistent access to nutritious food.
Rising costs are stretching household budgets
For households already struggling to make ends meet, higher prices for everyday necessities can have a substantial impact.
Among food-insecure households surveyed in our region, 92% reported that higher grocery prices had a major impact on their finances.
As families balance the cost of food with housing, utilities, transportation and other necessities, maintaining a consistent supply of nutritious groceries can become increasingly difficult.
The importance of community food assistance
The study also highlights the important role of charitable food assistance in our region.
Among local households experiencing food insecurity, 51% reported accessing charitable food assistance during the study period.
As Dan Maher, President & CEO of the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, noted in our study announcement, this reflects the community's response and highlights the number of people who may need assistance but are unaware of available resources or feel uncomfortable asking for help.
Through our network of community partners and food assistance programs, we work to connect neighbors with nutritious food while identifying opportunities to improve accessibility and strengthen our services.
Understanding hunger is the first step
The Virginia Hunger Study gives us valuable insight into the experiences of our neighbors and the challenges they face.
By combining this research with feedback from the people we serve, we can continue to identify gaps in food access, strengthen partnerships and develop solutions that reflect the needs of our community.
Hunger is a community-wide challenge, and everyone has a role in building a region where our neighbors can access the food they need.
Learn more: Explore our Hunger in Our Region webpage, find food assistance or discover ways to support our mission.