DSNAP Application Process Starts Monday; Mapp Says Request To Congress Now Roughly $7.5 Billion

ST. CROIX — Governor Kenneth Mapp along with Dept. of Human Services Commissioner Felicia Blyden, announced on Friday during the governor’s hurricane recovery press briefing that the application process of the long-delayed Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or DNSAP, will commence on Monday,  and run until November 15.

According to Mr. Mapp, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved $23 million for those who will qualify for DSNAP and those already on SNAP — for a total of 38,000 Virgin Islands residents. The DSNAP program will provide two months of supplemental funds for those who qualify.

When the governor first announced the program, he said qualifying would be as easy as establishing that a household had lost electricity during either Hurricane Irma or Maria. However, on Friday Mr. Mapp acknowledged that the qualifying process was not as simple, with Ms. Blyden listing a myriad of requirements. Residents are asked to bring a form of identification when applying. Also, all applicants must be Virgin Islands residents, and can register for only one storm: either Hurricane Irma or Maria in the St. Thomas-St. John District, and Hurricane Maria on St. Croix, according to Ms. Blyden.

If you’re already on the SNAP program, there will be no need to apply. D.H.S. also encouraged resident who are unemployment to apply for the regular SNAP program, revealing that it had signed up 891 new households as of Friday.

Eligible applicants will receive their benefits on EBT cards, Ms. Blyden said.

There are multiple locations throughout the territory where residents can apply for DSNAP. They include:

St. Croix:

Dept. of Human Services Mars Hill Headquarters in Frederiksted

The Cardiac Center at the Juan F. Luis Hospital

The Richmond Senior Center

St. Thomas:

Knud Hansen Complex

The University of the Virgin Islands

Frenchtown Evangelical Church

Tutu Park Mall

St. John: 

Dept. of Human Services Multipurpose Building

Below, find the other important pieces of news from the Friday briefing.

1. The territory’s leader said he along with Ms. Blyden, Dept. of Health Commissioner Michelle Davis and others met with Eric D. Hargan, acting secretary of Health and Human Services. During the meeting, the governor said one of his administration’s request was that the territory’s Medicaid match be waived for three years. A decision on the request is pending.
2. After stating multiple times that the initial assessment of damage to the territory caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria — which was assessed to be $5.5 billion — would not be final, Mr. Mapp said he would soon announce an increase of roughly $2 billion, bringing the request of funding from Congress to $7.5 billion. Mr. Mapp is set to testify before the House and Senate on November 14.
3. The Dept. of Education announced that the 6 remaining elementary schools in the St. Croix District will open Monday. See full details here. 
4. There will be a parent orientation for Lockhart Elementary School today at 1:00 p.m. in the Ruth E. Thomas Auditorium at the Charlotte Amalie High School. Teachers are expected to report to school on  Tuesday, while students will resume classes on Wednesday, according to Mr. Mapp. More details will be forthcoming.