Virginia SNAP recipients across the state will soon find new chip-enabled benefit cards in their mailboxes, and Roanoke City is among the first localities targeted.
As WSLS reported, Governor Abigail Spanberger announced the rollout on September 10, describing it as a step toward protecting food assistance from criminals who exploit older card technology.
About 749,000 Virginians receive SNAP benefits. The state is replacing the magnetic-stripe cards that can only be swiped with dual-interface cards that accept both chip insertion and tap-to-pay transactions.
Why Roanoke and These Localities Are First
The Virginia Mercury reported that the initial mailing targets areas with documented high rates of benefit theft…