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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter highlights the issue of hunger in Virginia, shares updates from last week’s Commission meetings on which I serve as a member, provides an update on the outcome of the recent firehouse primary for my current state Senate seat, and highlights select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and for staying informed.
Addressing the Crisis of Hunger in Virginia
The recent federal shutdown, coupled with the damaging effects of federal actions on the nation’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), exposed serious vulnerabilities in the Commonwealth as we work to address the issues of hunger in Virginia.
Virginia remains a state in which hunger persists despite considerable resources and effort. According to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks (Federation), roughly 1 in 8 Virginians, or about 12.1% of Virginians, are food insecure. That means hundreds of thousands of Virginians do not always know where their next meal will come from. Among children, the rates are especially troubling: one in seven children in the Commonwealth face food insecurity. Recent data from a statewide report (2025) estimates there are about 880,000 food-insecure Virginians, including roughly 238,000 children.
Given those numbers, Virginia cannot afford to view hunger as an occasional problem or rely solely on emergency food distribution. Instead, the state must build resilient systems capable of preventing hunger before it happens. A key part of that is ensuring core public nutrition programs are robust, accessible, and adequate. For example, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains a critical backbone: in good times and bad, SNAP helps stabilize families so they do not slip into food insecurity. As of recent estimates, about 564,000 Virginians participate in SNAP; that number represents roughly 6.5% of the population. However, during crises such as the current period of federal funding uncertainty or benefit cuts, state-level responses must be ready.
Beyond public benefits, we must invest in an infrastructure in Virginia that supports food distribution at all times, including during non-emergency periods, most especially for rural and underserved areas. For example, the Federation reports that Virginia’s food banks distributed 175 million pounds of groceries in 2024, during a period not classified as an emergency. This level of distribution represents a massive volume, and we know that relying on charity alone is risky. Strengthening regional food hubs, investing in cold storage and logistics, and supporting local procurement (for example, from small and mid-sized farms) will help us to reinforce supply chains so that communities can respond quickly when need spikes, whether that escalation of demand is triggered by economic downturns, policy changes, or disasters. Such investment is not simply humanitarian; it also supports Virginia’s agricultural economy, our local farmers, and it reduces waste.
Data infrastructure is another area where resiliency could be improved. Today, hunger-prevention efforts in Virginia are spread across multiple agencies and nonprofits: from public schools providing free or reduced-price meals to local food banks, social-service agencies, and community organizations. That fragmentation may hamper early detection and targeted intervention. By developing a unified data-sharing platform in Virginia that helps us to coordinate social assistance, benefit receipts, school-meal usage, and emergency food demand, we would be better able to spot rising needs and deploy resources efficiently and effectively. Data-driven coordination would help to shift the state’s approach from reactive to preventative.
We must also recognize how hunger intersects with other areas of economic insecurity: housing, health care, childcare, low wages, and the rising cost of living. For many food-insecure families, the choice is not just between groceries or nothing; it is between groceries and rent, medicine, or transportation. Approaching the concerns of hunger through integrated assistance that combines food support with housing aid, job training, or child-care subsidies is more likely to stabilize families over the long run. Recent research and policy analyses increasingly point to the effectiveness of such holistic support in reducing food insecurity.
Under the broad picture, investments and policy must prioritize equity. Hunger is not evenly distributed across Virginia. According to food-bank data, Black and Hispanic households experience food insecurity at more than twice the rate of white households. Rural localities, especially in Southwest Virginia and other underserved regions, consistently rank among the areas with the highest food-insecurity rates. A resilient hunger-prevention system must ensure that funding, outreach, and resources reach those communities. These efforts should include language access concerns, simplified application processes, and support for community-based organizations that are rooted in the neighborhoods they serve.
Hunger in Virginia is a structural challenge interwoven with inequality, economic instability, and regional disparity. It is also a solvable problem. With serious investment in core public nutrition benefits, infrastructure for distribution, data-driven coordination, integrated economic supports, and equity-centered outreach, Virginia can build a hunger-prevention system resilient enough to withstand economic swings, benefit disruptions, and rising living costs. The question is not whether the tools exist because they do. The real question is when we will get the ball rolling. I am ready to work with my General Assembly colleagues and our incoming Administration to move forward with solutions to help all families in Virginia.
Committee and Commissions Meetings
Senate Finance and Appropriations Education Subcommittee
On December 1, I joined the Senate Finance and Appropriations Education Subcommittee [[link removed]] as a sitting member; we received presentations from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and from higher education leadership at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), the University of Virginia (UVA), and the Council of Presidents Chair for Virginia's public colleges and universities. SCHEV Executive Director Scott Fleming discussed areas of opportunity to ensure Virginia's higher education system remains attainable and focused on student success. The newly-appointed Superintendent of VMI, Lieutenant General David Furness, presented his direction for the institute and for guiding VMI cadets toward academic success. The subcommittee meeting concluded with a presentation from UVA Interim President Paul Mahoney who discussed federal investigations by the Department of Justice and UVA's agreements.
Joint Commission on Health Care
On December 4, I chaired the Joint Commission on Health Care [[link removed]] (JCHC), standing in for Chair Rodney Willet, as the Commission reconvened for its final meeting of the year. We considered policy options in three areas of focus [[link removed]] for the 2026 Legislative session: strategies to address transportation-related barriers to health care, access to pharmacy services in Virginia, and legislative oversight of Virginia’s Medicaid. As Virginia continues to navigate federal funding uncertainty resulting from federal actions on critical healthcare programs, Virginia will be shouldering greater costs for healthcare access and services.
Virginia Housing Commission
Also on December 4, I joined the Virginia Housing Commission [[link removed]] as a sitting member as we convened to consider Commission endorsements for legislation that will be introduced during the 2026 legislative session; we also received updates on eviction trends across the Commonwealth [[link removed]] . On the recommendations made by subcommittee chairs, the Commission endorsed two of the four study topics: Notice of Change in Assessment [[link removed]] and Disclosure Requirements of Declarant Control [[link removed]] .
SD-15 Special Election
On Sunday, December 6, the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA), in coordination with the local Democratic committees for Richmond City and Chesterfield County, held a firehouse primary to determine the party’s nominee for the Special Election to fill my current state Senate seat. Turnout was strong and steady throughout the day at the three polling locations made available for Senate District 15 voters.
Congratulations to Delegate Mike Jones on his victory in the Democratic Primary; he now moves forward to the General Election which is scheduled to take place on January 6, 2026.
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Select Community Engagements
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On Tuesday, I attended a legislative breakfast hosted by ChamberRVA to discuss our collective efforts to nurture economic growth and opportunity for our central region, as we envision transformational change across the Commonwealth in the lead-up to the 2026 legislative session and the incoming administration's next 4 years.
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On Thursday, I attended a press conference with the Evergreen Collaborative and the Natural Resources Defense Council to discuss solutions for consumer energy affordability and to steer Virginia towards a clean energy future.
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Later that evening, my Lieutenant Governor-elect’s Transition Committee met for the second time to outline a roadmap for our administration. We focused on key policy areas as well as strategies for community engagement and outreach. I am eager to begin implementing our strategic plan on Day One.
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On Sunday, I attended the Sunday worship service at the New Life Deliverance Tabernacle, joiningI the Rev. Dr. Robert A. Winfree and congregation members.
Updated: Connecting With My Office
My office contact information has changed to reflect my position as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor-elect. Constituents can reach my team using the included contact information:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804.698.7515
— Ghazala
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