NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — While diners debate who serves the best seafood in Virginia Beach, a young mother on the other side of town is trying to figure out how to feed her young son.

Her SNAP card benefits were electronically stolen on the first of the month. Her mostly bare refrigerator contained a few cups of flour and small packets of yogurt she uses to make yogurt sandwiches.

That was the tale of two regions of Hampton Roads earlier this year as the Trump Administration rolled out a plan to dramatically reduce spending while calling for tax breaks to benefit the wealthiest Americans.

Tuesday, the Senate served up a potential crisis for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore when it approved the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, with one tiebreaker vote cast by Vice President JD Vance.

Chris Tan, president and CEO of the Foodbank, has been watching the budget process unfold from the organization’s headquarters just outside downtown Norfolk.

“Any cuts to SNAP are going to have dramatic impacts on our lines,” Tan said. “So we’re talking about nine billion meals cut across the United States.”

Inventory is already on the decline as the Foodbank took a $300,000 hit earlier this year. The charity is calling on the haves and the have nots to call members of Congress.

“So I think the number one thing that you can do is certainly advocate for not allowing these cuts to SNAP and Medicaid in particular, to happen,” Tan said, “that their neighbors are going to be in need, and they know that that can happen.

“So we encourage you to go to our website, foodbankonline.org, and learn more about the issues and advocate amongst your Congress people and Senators to try to make a difference as quickly as possible.”

Tan said if the bill passes, the Foodbank will ask for more help from the community.

“If the bill passes, which it may — it certainly has a good chance, I think — then I’m asking our neighbors that are not affected by this to think about giving more to the Foodbank and to helping us meet the needs of the community when government resources dwindle,” Tan said.

There’s another way you can help. The Foodbank needs dozens of volunteers next week to harvest the 2025 crop of corn at Izzie’s Field in Courtland, in Southampton County. For more information call 757-627-6599.