Incident: Situation of Distress
When: Oct. 21, 2026
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- On Nov. 5, 2026, we approved the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Human Services (DHS) request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver approval allows households to receive replacement of SNAP benefits, as stated in the approval, due to island-wide power outages that began on Oct. 21, 2026. The waiver approval applies to households in the St. Thomas-St. John district.
Past Responses
- 2024
Incident: Tropical Storm Ernesto
When: Aug. 13, 2024
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- On Sept. 3, 2024, FNA approved the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Human Services (DHS) request to waive the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits that was lost as a result of power outages due to Tropical Storm Ernesto that made landfall on Aug. 13, 2024. The waiver applies to all households in the U.S. Virgin Islands and is in effect through Sept. 12, 2024.
- On Aug. 23, 2024, FNA approved the U.S. Virgin Islands DHS request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver approval allows households to receive replacement of SNAP benefits as stated in the approval due to power outages as a result of Tropical Storm Ernesto that occurred on Aug. 13, 2024. The waiver approval applies to St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas islands.