Virginia Kinship Care Emergency Help — Immediate Financial Assistance

When a Child Arrives With Nothing

The transition into kinship care almost never comes with warning. A phone call, a knock on the door, a child showing up at school with nowhere to go — and suddenly you are buying diapers, formula, bedding, clothes, and school supplies on a budget that was not built for it. An estimated 55,000 to 70,000 children in Virginia live in extended family care, and the vast majority of those arrangements begin as private emergencies.

If you have just taken in a grandchild or relative's child and need money now, here is what to apply for first and where the fastest help is.

TANF Emergency Assistance (TANF-EA)

Virginia provides a one-time emergency payment of up to $1,500 within a 12-month period through TANF Emergency Assistance. It addresses immediate crisis situations such as impending eviction, utility disconnection, or a natural disaster. A child's arrival may create urgent costs, but your local DSS determines whether the circumstances and expenses qualify.

Apply through CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov) or at your local DSS office. Bring documentation of the crisis, such as a disconnection notice, an eviction notice, or receipts and bills for urgent expenses. Ask your local DSS how quickly it can review your situation.

TANF-EA is separate from the ongoing TANF child-only grant. Receiving emergency assistance does not count against the child's ongoing eligibility.

SNAP Expedited Processing

If your household income and liquid resources are very low, your SNAP application may qualify for expedited processing — a 7-day decision window instead of the standard 30 days. When you apply through CommonHelp or your local DSS, the system screens for expedited eligibility automatically.

SNAP benefits load onto a Virginia EBT card that can be used at any authorized retailer for food. For a household that just absorbed a child's food costs overnight, this is often the fastest ongoing support you can access.

What Else to Apply for in the First Week

TANF child-only grant: Your income is excluded. Apply through CommonHelp at the same time as SNAP and TANF-EA. Standard processing is 30 days, but filing early means benefits start sooner if approved.

FAMIS/Medicaid health coverage: If the child needs medical care immediately, apply through CommonHelp or call the Cover Virginia Call Center at 1-855-242-8282. If you are applying for several benefit programs, you can also call the Enterprise Customer Service Center at 1-855-635-4370. Emergency rooms will treat the child regardless of insurance, but having coverage can help with covered costs.

WIC: If the child is under age five, contact your local Virginia Department of Health clinic for WIC — supplemental nutrition for infants and young children. Children receiving SNAP or TANF are automatically income-eligible.

School meals: Children receiving SNAP or TANF, or identified by LDSS as foster or kinship placements, can be directly certified for free school breakfast and lunch. While an application is pending, contact the school to ask about other available meal options.

Community Resources for Immediate Needs

Formed Families Forward: Northern Virginia-based but serves kinship families statewide. Offers peer support, resource navigation, and can connect you with local emergency assistance.

Area Agencies on Aging (Title III-E): If you are age 55 or older, your local AAA may provide emergency supplemental grants for clothing, school supplies, and other immediate needs through the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Contact the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services helpline or your local AAA office.

RISE Program: If you are receiving TANF, Virginia's RISE savings match program provides $8 for every $1 saved toward approved goals — but this is a longer-term tool, not immediate crisis relief.

Local faith-based organizations and food banks: Many localities have emergency pantries, clothing closets, and community aid programs that can help bridge the gap while benefit applications process.

What Not to Worry About Yet

You can apply for the benefits listed above without a court custody order. Whether to formalize care is a separate legal question; seek legal guidance promptly if safety, custody, or the timing of a parent's return to care is at issue.

The Virginia kinship financial help guide covers every benefit from emergency help through ongoing monthly support, organized by the order you need them — starting with what to do in the first 48 hours.

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