When I arrived in the United States as a refugee, I felt tremendous relief and anxiety. I was relieved that my family was finally safe, but anxious about how I would provide for them.
I found a part-time job, but part-time income alone isn’t enough to support our basic needs — rent, utilities, transportation, groceries. Like many newcomers, we were starting over. We found safety, but we needed a foundation before we could rebuild anything.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) gave us that foundation.
The temporary assistance we received from SNAP meant that instead of worrying about feeding my family, I could shift my attention and limited income to other things that would help us move forward — such as purchasing a reliable used car, meaning I could take on additional work and grow my income. SNAP gave enough stability for us to not just build, but also to thrive.
Today, I’m honored to serve as a council member in Harrisonburg, the city that welcomed us. As part of that service, I help make budget decisions that invest in our community and support all families. For my family, SNAP worked exactly as intended, providing temporary support on our path to self-sufficiency.
However, due to federal changes to SNAP eligibility, refugee and asylee families in Virginia like mine will lose access to crucial food assistance. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was passed last summer restricts SNAP eligibility for newcomers who do not yet have a green card. Based on 2023 data, an estimated 10,000 Virginia SNAP recipients, including more than 2,000 children, who were admitted as refugees or granted asylum — and who are still in the process of becoming lawful permanent residents — are affected.
With the Virginia General Assembly continuing negotiations to finalize our state’s budget, lawmakers have the chance to help ensure no Virginian families go hungry. Sens. Jennifer Boysko and Saddam Azlan Salim have proposed budget amendments that would support newcomer families as they put food on the table. It’s vital that our state-level elected leaders support these proposals.
Many newcomers quickly jump into entry-level jobs while also working toward permanent status. Others are elderly or disabled and cannot work, relying on fixed incomes that barely cover the costs of housing and utilities. Without food assistance, their path to stability becomes steeper, not because they lack motivation, but because stability becomes harder to maintain.
And the challenges today are greater than when I arrived. We’ve seen grocery prices rise while SNAP benefits barely cover enough to feed a family through the month. They stretch meals, skip them, or line up at the food pantry for extra support. There’s no way to rebuild on this ground.
Hunger doesn’t disappear when funding is cut. The burden just shifts to the local community — food banks, schools, emergency services, neighbors — and more often than not the cost is greater. Children who lack consistent nutrition struggle in school. Families under chronic food stress face higher rates of preventable illness. Restricting SNAP eligibility for refugees doesn’t just affect those families, it hurts the entire community.
In contrast, food stability accelerates employment and integration. SNAP phases out as income rises because it’s a supplement to low wages, not a replacement for work. When families can meet their basic needs, they can focus, contribute and invest in the community.
I’m part of the proof. SNAP helped me feed my family while I worked to build our future. That foundation made everything that followed possible.
Stability starts with a foundation. For newcomer families across Virginia, SNAP is that foundation. I urge our state lawmakers to protect it, strengthen it and make sure it holds — because none of us can build on ground that keeps shifting beneath our feet.
Nasser Alsaadun is a city council member in Harrisonburg.
