The Virgin Islands Department of Health joins the National Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Association in reminding Virgin Islands families that while both the WIC program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) help families access nutritious food, they are separate programs with different funding sources and benefits.
“Our WIC offices have been receiving calls from participants asking if their WIC benefits ended on November 1, conflating the program with SNAP,” said Acting Commissioner Dr. Nicole Craigwell-Syms. “We want to assure our participants that, at present, the Virgin Islands WIC Program has sufficient funding to continue serving them. Our vendors are aware of this and will continue to redeem benefits. Please feel free to visit your grocery store and shop with your eWIC card.”
The VI Department of Health is also taking the opportunity to explain the difference between WIC and SNAP. Both programs support food access and nutrition for families, but they differ in how they are funded, the rules they follow, and when benefits are provided.
WIC is funded annually by Congress and focuses on nutrition support for pregnant people, infants, and young children. It provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support, healthcare screenings and referrals to include those to social and other services. WIC participants can only purchase specific healthy foods such as milk, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. The program is currently operating with limited federal emergency funds to keep clinics open and benefits active.
SNAP, on the other hand, helps all eligible low-income households purchase groceries. SNAP benefits can be used for most food items, except for alcohol, tobacco, or non-food products. The program is automatically funded based on the number of eligible participants; however, because no additional emergency funds were provided on November 1, SNAP has been impacted by the federal government shutdown.
Recently, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. announced that the local government would cover half of the November SNAP benefits for eligible households. Today, the governor confirmed that those payments have been completed, ensuring families can continue to buy groceries during the federal shutdown.
Lorna Concepcion, Director of the Virgin Islands WIC Program, emphasized that WIC clinics remain open and staff are ready to assist families.
“Our WIC team continues to provide full services — from nutrition education and breastfeeding support to food benefits,” said Director Concepcion. “It’s very important that participants continue to use their WIC benefits each month to keep their participation active and ensure their families receive the nutrition they need. The Department of Health WIC Program staff will contact you if there are any changes.”
Director Concepcion also urged all WIC and SNAP participants to stay informed, check with their local offices for updates, and share accurate information with others in the community.
Acting Commissioner Craigwell-Syms and Director Concepcion both noted that while the Virgin Islands WIC Program can continue operating through the month of November, it — like SNAP — faces potential uncertainty during the federal government shutdown.
The VI Department of Health and its WIC Program continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in continuous communication with federal partners.
St. Croix Source
Food, Health & Wellness
