Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced the territory’s purchase of a new facility on St. Thomas for the Nana Baby Home during a weekly Government House press briefing Monday.
“For generations, the Nana Baby Home has been a refuge in moments of crisis — a place where infants and toddlers found safety, love and dignity when the world seemed uncertain,” Bryan said Monday. “By purchasing this facility, we are lifting the burden of survival from those who have carried it so faithfully, so they may devote their hearts fully to the children. To support the Nana Baby Home is not only an act of compassion. It is an investment in the soul of our community.”
The government’s purchase of the new facilty — which providers 24-hour emergency care, respite care for children whose parents or guardians are hospitalized or temporarily unable to look after their children, and transitional care — was made possible through an appropriation of funds the territory received from settlements with the estate of Jeffrey Epstein and financier Leon Black, sponsored by Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory and approved by the 35th Legislature.
Direct support includes:
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Property Purchase & Lease: Up to $1.8 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund is set aside for the Department of Property and Procurement to purchase the property on St. Thomas. The site will then be leased long-term to Nana’s Baby Home, giving the organization a stable location for its operations.
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Facility Outfitting: An additional $200,000 from the Survivors and Mental Health Healing Fund is appropriated for outfitting the new facility, ensuring it is equipped to serve children and families.
Together, the measures amount to $2 million in total support. The Legislature passed the bill on Sept. 27, 2024. Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. vetoed portions on Oct. 10, 2024, and lawmakers overrode that veto on Oct. 16, 2024, enacting the appropriations into law.
Speaking to the Source Tuesday, Frett-Gregory said Monday’s announcement was the culmination of years of recognizing the home’s importance and the growing need for its services.
“I’ve always been a supporter of the Nana Baby Home. My mother-in-law was a foster parent, and I remember when the foster program in the Virgin Islands was thriving in the late ’90s and early 2000s. But over the years, there have been fewer families volunteering, and Nana Baby became that place for young infants in particular. As time went on, it became clear the program needed to expand to serve older children as well,” she said.
Frett-Gregory recalled a conversation at a graduation ceremony years ago when Nana Baby’s Executive Director, Darian Torrice-Hairston, spoke about the home’s limited space. “They had done some build-outs in Tutu, but it wasn’t ideal to house infants and teenagers in the same setting. When the settlement proceeds from the Epstein case became available, we knew this was an opportunity to make a tangible investment,” she explained.
Working with her colleagues on the 2025 budget, Frett-Gregory said the idea quickly gained support. “We walked through the property, and everyone agreed it was the right move. With the government owning the building and Nana Baby leasing it for a nominal fee, it’s a win-win for the Virgin Islands. I’m proud this administration saw the need and worked with Property and Procurement to make it happen. Beyond the bricks and mortar, it’s about ensuring these children have a safe, comfortable environment in a good neighborhood — a space that feels like home when they need it most.”
On Monday, Torrice-Hairston thanked Bryan and Frett-Gregory, who sponsored the bill, for spearheading the government’s efforts, which will also enable the organization to lease the building for “pennings on the dollar,” according to officials.
“This is such a rewarding place to be a part of,” she said. “I know that we are only the current shepherds of this mission. Nana Baby Home has been around long before me, and I hope it continues long after me, and we plan to utilize this new facility to the best of our abilities and fill it with love and laughter and light and really give the children more space to grow into themselves while they are with us.”
Bryan hinted that more purchases will be announced in the coming weeks.
