Emergency Assistance provides financial aid for two (2) purposes: (1) to help alleviate a life-threating circumstance, or (2) to help pay a work-related expense necessary or obtain or maintain employment. A life-threatening circumstance is a condition which poses an imminent peril to health and or safety because of a lack of or the jeopardizing of the availability of shelter, food, utility service, medication, transportation, or other basic necessity. You may also receive Emergency Assistance to help pay for a work-related expense, but only if payment of the expense is necessary for you to get or keep a job. In order to help you pay such expenses, the General Assistance Office may also refer you to other agencies or programs or for other services.

You may receive Emergency Assistance only once in a 24-month period.

 Disbursement of Funds

Assistance up to the amount of the payment level is disbursed by the means of disbursing order (requests to a vendor to provide goods and services in return for payment by the General Assistance Office) or by payment directly to a provider of goods and services. You will not receive cash. The personnel of the General Assistance Office will tell you what the appropriate payment level is for the size of your household.

You may receive Emergency Assistance even though you have applied for and been approved to receive monthly welfare assistance (such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled (AABD), Refugee and Repatriate Assistance (RRA) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as long as you have not yet begun to receive monthly payments of such assistance. However, if you have already begun receiving monthly payments of cash welfare assistance you cannot receive Emergency Assistance.

If you have any questions about Emergency Assistance or the program requirements or particulars, you should ask the personnel of the General Assistance Office. In addition, you may inspect the General Assistance Office’s Emergency Assistance Handbook during regular office hours.

Applications to determine eligibility for General Assistance or Emergency Assistance are available at the Orland Township office. Once an application is completed and submitted with required documentation, please contact Orland Township at (708) 403-4222 to schedule an appointment.