Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said Tuesday that his administration will begin releasing local funds to provide temporary food assistance to roughly 24,000 Virgin Islanders who have been left without November SNAP benefits as the federal government shutdown continues into its fourth week.
Under the plan, announced Monday by Government House, the Human Services Department and the Finance Department will issue checks to each SNAP household covering half of their usual monthly allotment. Those payments will be mailed directly to recipients to ensure families receive aid faster, bypassing the federal system that currently cannot process electronic benefit transfers due to the funding lapse.
Bryan told the Source Tuesday that his administration will likely use the territory’s Rainy Day Fund to cover the payments — roughly $2.5 million — with the option of releasing the remaining half if the federal shutdown persists into December. “Children are hungry, and it’s a state of emergency,” Bryan said. “We’re hoping the Legislature acts before we have to make any declarations, but we’re prepared to do it if necessary.”
The governor said his administration has already directed the use of local funds to issue the first round of checks but is urging the Legislature to take complementary action to formalize and expand support. If lawmakers delay, Bryan said, he is prepared to declare a state of emergency to ensure continued food assistance. “If legislative action isn’t timely or conditions worsen, I will declare a state of emergency to ensure uninterrupted relief for our residents,” he said.
Bryan emphasized that issuing paper checks — rather than reprogramming the SNAP electronic benefits system — was the fastest and most practical way to deliver aid. Federal officials told the territory it could take a month or more to reconfigure the EBT system to issue partial local benefits. “Mailing checks gets relief out faster. It’s not perfect, but it’s the most efficient path we can execute immediately,” Bryan said in a press release Tuesday.
The move follows nearly two weeks of mounting concern from local officials and advocates after the U.S. Department of Agriculture instructed states and territories to pause all November SNAP transmissions amid the federal budget stalemate. The freeze affects about 24,000 Virgin Islanders — families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities — who rely on the federal food assistance program for their monthly groceries.
Senate President Milton E. Potter had earlier called the situation “a moral crisis,” submitting two legislative bill draft requests to authorize the use of the Rainy Day Fund and other local sources for emergency relief. “If there was ever a time to use our Rainy Day Fund, it is now,” Potter said last week.
Bryan said his administration does not expect reimbursement for the local funds advanced but views the measure as a necessary bridge until Congress resolves the shutdown. “For our families, we will act with urgency and care,” he said. “This is a bridge to keep food on the table while Congress determines how to do its job.”
Human Services officials are finalizing logistics for mailing the checks and will issue further announcements once the disbursement schedule is confirmed. Households are encouraged to ensure their mailing addresses on file are current to avoid delays.
If the shutdown continues into November’s end, Bryan said, the territory is prepared to expand the program to cover full benefits. “We’re going to do what it takes to make sure Virgin Islanders can eat,” he said.
