Massac County
General Assistance Program
What is General Assistance?
General Assistance (GA) is often referred to as a program of “last resort.” This means that you can get GA only if you do not receive any other form of public benefits. GA programs are designed to help customers meet their basic living requirements. There are no federally supported cash assistance programs for poor adults without minor children other than those with disabilities serious enough to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Illinois Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) which only serves families with minor children. Thus, state or local GA programs are generally the only cash assistance for which poor childless adults can qualify.
In order to qualify for GA, you must have very little income or assets. However, SNAP benefits do not affect your ability to receive GA funding.
ELIGIBILITY
In Massac County, you must meet the following requirements to be considered eligible for GA.
- Must be 55 or older
- Are NOT receiving SSDI or SSI
- Are a current resident of Massac County
- Have NOT had gross earnings totaling $2,000 in the past year; AND have not earned at least $200 a month in seven (7) of these months
*There are some exceptions to the general eligibility requirements for GA. If you are under 55 years old, have a documented disability, and are in the process of applying for SSDI or SSI, you may qualify for temporary GA until you receive your first SSDI or SSI check.
GA Participants receive $100 per month, and can pick up their checks in our office on the First Tuesday of each month. If you would like to receive your check via mail, please contact our office so we can obtain the address you would like your check mailed to.
For More Information, Contact us!
Email Lorie
Kaley McGinnis, Chief Deputy Administrator
Email Kaley
Diane Mescher, Deputy Administrator
Email Diane
Phone
Fax: (618) 524.1472
Hours
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Address
1 Superman Square
Rm. 1E
Metropolis, IL 62960
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 89
Metropolis, IL 62960
How to Apply
If you meet all the eligibility requirements for GA and believe you are entitled to receive benefits, you can apply online or in-office. If you would like to apply in our office, we ask that you call and schedule an appointment where we will assist you with the application process.
Instructions for Applying Online
If you want to apply online, click on the link to the application below. Once you are finished completing the application, make sure you save the application with your last name, first name, and date of birth listed on the document name.
For example, Christine Quinn was born on July 25, 1968 and wants to apply for GA. Once Christine has completed the PDF application, she should save her document as: “Save As: Quinn_Christine_07251968.”
Once the document has been saved accordingly, you must email the completed application to: lwalters@massaccountyil.gov.