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Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 08, 2021 (SKNIS): St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board has increased the number of food vouchers being donated to benefit persons in St. Kitts and Nevis outside of the government’s care package initiative and Poverty Alleviation Programme.

A press release from the Social Security Board states: “As our social corporate response, the Social Security Board has allocated $250 000 to a Food Voucher Initiative. RAMS Supermarkets and Horsford’s Valu Mart have collaborated with Social Security in the execution of this programme and have contributed $25 000 to the initiative bringing the total output to $275 000. Additionally, both supermarkets have put measures in place to facilitate the operation.”

“Approved recipients on both St Kitts and Nevis will receive food vouchers valued at $200.00 to be used at Horsford’s Valu Mart and RAMS Supermarkets. Thirteen hundred and seventy-five persons (1375) are set to benefit from this initiative,” the press release further stated.

“A total of 720 names have already being submitted for the voucher programme,” said Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development, Janelle Lewis Tafari, at the National Emergency Operations Centre COVID-19 Briefing on July 07.

The persons were identified by District Teams of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Mrs. Lewis Tafari noted that the Social Security Board has decided that 80 percent or 1,100 vouchers will be allotted to families in St. Kitts, and 20 percent or 275 vouchers to families in Nevis.

“The NEMA District Teams will be the ones who deliver the vouchers to the households,” she said, noting that distribution is likely to begin tomorrow, Thursday, July 08. “The households will then have up to three months to go and visit the supermarkets to redeem the vouchers.”

When redeeming the vouchers, persons must walk with a government-issued picture identification as proof of identity.