CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Virgin Islands Department of Human Services (DHS) announced Wednesday that the PEBT plan for October, November or December issuance has not been approved.
While discussions continue with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to issue additional emergency Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits, the approval to do so has not been granted.
P-EBT was granted as a single issuance, not a regular monthly benefit. Due to continued school closures, there is a possibility of additional issuances in the future, but no guarantee.
Please be aware however that both the DHS Head Start program and the V.I. Department of Education have announced meal distribution schedules that are now active. Contact your respective school for details.
As part of national and federal efforts to lessen the negative impact of COVID-19 on community residents, the USDA and FNS implemented the Pandemic EBT benefit as a temporary measure to help provide food assistance to all Virgin Islands SNAP and non-SNAP households with
children who attend local public and eligible private schools (grades K – 12) who had lost access to free school meals due to pandemic-related public and private school closures.
For more information, please visit the Department of Human Services website, www.dhs.gov.vi or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/usvidhs) at US Virgin Islands Department of Human Services.
For more information on COVID-19, the new strain of coronavirus, please visit the USVI Department of Health’s website, www.doh.vi.gov/coronavirus or text COVID19USVI to 888777.