From left to right: Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett and Senator Donna Frett-Gregory.
The V.I. Department of Human Services has announced the end of the federally-approved Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments to all U.S. Virgin Islands households effective February 28, 2023.
According to D.H.S., due to the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act passed by the United States Congress on December 29, 2022, the U.S. Virgin Islands is required to phase out the emergency SNAP benefits households have been receiving since March of 2020 — the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
February 2023 is the last month SNAP recipients will receive the temporary emergency allotments provided throughout the pandemic, DHS said. Beginning March 2023, all SNAP households will receive their normal monthly SNAP benefit as long as they remain eligible based on federal guidelines.
According to the release, on March 1, 2023, when the temporary emergency allotment expires, each SNAP household will again — as was the case before the COVID-19 pandemic — begin to receive benefits based on the usual factors in determining eligibility, including household size, income, and deductions. Therefore, each household’s benefits will vary based on their current circumstances. Households will receive the decreased SNAP benefit amount on their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. SNAP Households do not need to take any action.
“Since March 2020, our DHS team has worked tirelessly during the Public Health Emergency to ensure 11,000 SNAP households received the maximum benefit, assisting both the families and the Virgin Islands economy," said DHS Commissioner Kimberley Causey-Gomez. "At this time, households should prepare to accommodate this reduction in benefits when the additional temporary emergency allotment ends after the February issuance. As a reminder, the change to your benefit amount is due to the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act and the Department does not have any control over this federal change.”
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