United Way NSV and Our Health Launch Community Resiliency Emergency Fund
Responding to Food Insecurity and SNAP Interruption with $10,000 in Seed Support
Fund Drive Dates: October 30 – November 30, 2025
Fast Facts 
Campaign Goal: $50,000
Seed Support: $10,000 (United Way NSV + Our Health)
Immediate Focus: Food Insecurity and SNAP Disruption Response
Future Focus: Strengthening community resiliency by ensuring that local nonprofits can respond, recover, and continue providing food, housing, and essential services when the unexpected happens.
Geographic Reach: Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, Warren Counties and the City of Winchester
Donate: https://givebutter.com/UWNSVCRF
Track Our Progress Live:
See how your community is responding. Watch donations come in and follow our progress toward the $50,000 goal.
Responding to an Immediate Need
The launch of the Community Resiliency Emergency Fund comes at a critical time for the Northern Shenandoah Valley. The ongoing federal government shutdown has delayed November SNAP benefits, creating sudden strain on local food pantries and assistance programs already stretched by rising demand.
In response, the Commonwealth of Virginia has initiated the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) Program, providing weekly state-funded benefits beginning November 3. While this emergency measure will bridge some of the gap, local food programs are already reporting surges in need — particularly among veterans, seniors, and working ALICE households.
According to the United For ALICE Report for Virginia (2023), 40 percent of households across the Northern Shenandoah Valley — including Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties and the City of Winchester — live below the ALICE threshold. These are working families earning above the federal poverty line but still unable to consistently afford essentials like housing, food, transportation, and healthcare.
When public systems such as SNAP are disrupted, ALICE households are often the first to experience hardship. For many, there is no margin for error. A missed benefit payment, an unexpected car repair, or a higher grocery bill can quickly lead to food insecurity or loss of stability.
That is where the Community Resiliency Emergency Fund serves a critical role. The fund bridges the gap between federal and state assistance programs and local nonprofit response. It provides the rapid, flexible funding that allows food pantries, shelters, and community organizations to meet immediate needs when systems stall or demand suddenly spikes.
By strengthening this local support structure, United Way NSV and its partners ensure that families — including veterans, seniors, and working parents — continue to access food and stability even when traditional aid is delayed.
Fast, Local, and Flexible Response
The fund allows United Way NSV to deploy assistance within hours — not weeks — when essential nonprofit partners face emergencies that disrupt services. The fund supports needs such as:
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Emergency food purchases for pantries facing depleted shelves during SNAP delays.
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Transportation and logistics for rural food deliveries to homebound veterans and families.
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Repairs or replacements of refrigeration and storage equipment needed for safe food distribution.
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Bridge support for staff or volunteer coverage when demand suddenly doubles.
“Emergencies do not wait for budgets or board meetings,” said Andy Gail, Chief Executive Officer of United Way NSV. “Our partners need flexible support to stay operational during moments like this. This fund allows us to respond immediately and keep vital programs running.”
Investing in Community Infrastructure
The fund begins with a $5,000 investment from United Way NSV, matched dollar-for-dollar by Our Health, creating a $10,000 foundation of support. Together, the two organizations are challenging the community to raise $50,000 before December 2025 to sustain the region’s nonprofit safety net through this period of uncertainty.
“In moments of uncertainty, community is what saves us,” said Sharen Gromling, Executive Director of Our Health. “By investing in resilience, we are investing in the health and stability of the entire Shenandoah Valley.”
Every dollar raised through the Community Resiliency Emergency Fund remains local and is directed to the most time-sensitive needs identified by frontline agencies. This includes programs that directly serve veterans, ALICE families, and seniors impacted by food insecurity.
Next Steps: Expanding Access
After December 1, United Way NSV will publish details on the low-barrier application process for nonprofits to access the Community Resiliency Emergency Fund. This framework is being developed with input from local partners to ensure that assistance can be deployed quickly and equitably across the region.
The goal is to make funding simple, transparent, and responsive so when a food pantry’s equipment fails, a shelter loses heat, or demand doubles overnight, organizations can request support and receive help within hours.
This next phase reinforces United Way NSV’s role as the central coordinating partner for community response, ensuring that local nonprofits have both the financial and operational stability to meet urgent needs as they arise.
Join the Effort
United Way NSV invites foundations, corporate partners, and community members to contribute to the fund and help strengthen the region’s nonprofit safety net.
Question? Want to partner? Contact: Andy Gail
Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley