Restaurants needed for countywide Stafford Cares Program

Stafford County will spend $7,400 at locally-owned restaurants to purchase gift cards for families in need.

The county launched its first-ever Stafford Cares program, which will benefit 3,500 families in the county and small businesses directly impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How does the program work?

The first Stafford Cares program, ‘Supporting Restaurants and Families in Need,’ will help locally-owned restaurants and support families in the county enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Stafford County will purchase meal certificates from locally-owned restaurants throughout the County and distribute them to SNAP recipient families.

• The minimum benefit to any SNAP recipient family is $150.
• Stafford Cares needs between 75 and 100 restaurants to register for the program to make this program a success.

Stafford Cares will purchase a minimum of 99 meal cards or meal certificates from each participating restaurant.

• There is a limited amount of funding to purchase meal cards, so the program is limited to 100 restaurants.
• The total number of participating restaurants will affect the number of meal cards or certificates purchased.
• Restauranteurs may register for the program here: gostaffordva.com/stafford-cares-restaurant-application
• The maximum benefit to any particular restaurant is $7,400.

“This program injects working capital into our distressed local restaurants and supports our community by providing meals to disadvantaged families,” stated Director John Holden, Stafford County Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

This project is funded by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through a Community Development Block Grant.

• It will be managed by Stafford County Economic Development & Tourism.

This grant is made possible by the partnership with DHCD, Stafford County Social Services, and the Stafford County Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

“Not only do we thank the Governor’s Office for their support and approval of this initiative, but our Economic Development team who took action to make this idea a reality to benefit so many families,” stated Stafford Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Crystal Vanuch.

For more information on the Stafford Cares program, visit GoStaffordVA.com, contact 540-658-8681, or email Stafford Cares.