1,200 USVI Households Lose Food Aid Over Work Compliance Rules

The US Virgin Islands Department of Human Services has terminated SNAP food assistance for 1,200 households across the territory, while reducing benefits for another 253 households, the department announced Thursday. The action affected 1,605 individuals deemed out of compliance with federal work rules as of October 8.

The benefit losses followed an extended notification period. In August, DHS Commissioner Averil George cautioned lawmakers that roughly 5,000 recipients faced potential eligibility loss beginning September 1 unless they satisfied the work requirements. The department distributed written notices, used social media outreach and held budget hearings to explain the rules before the deadline.

The requirements target Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents, or ABAWDs: people aged 18 to 64 without a child under 14 in their SNAP household who are physically and mentally capable of working. Qualifying individuals must document at least 80 hours of activity monthly, averaging about 20 hours per week. Both paid employment and approved volunteer work satisfy the requirement.

Of the 5,000 initially flagged as at-risk, departmental reviews and exemption processing identified 1,100 people who qualified for exceptions, leaving 3,900 required to comply. Among those 3,900, approximately 2,295 people either met the monthly requirements or stayed in compliance. The remaining 1,605 fell short.

St. Croix experienced the largest impact. There, 708 households saw all benefits terminated and 160 experienced reductions, affecting 990 individuals in Christiansted and Frederiksted combined. St. Thomas saw 492 households lose all assistance and 93 receive partial cuts, affecting 615 individuals.

Territory-wide, 82.6 percent of affected households lost their complete benefit, while 17.4 percent retained reduced assistance for other eligible family members. Recipients with qualifying exemptions, including those with a child under 14, pregnant individuals, or those facing physical or mental work barriers, can preserve eligibility. The department advised that people who missed required hours due to illness, transportation difficulties or similar circumstances should contact their eligibility worker without delay.