You may be eligible for General Assistance (GA) as an adult with no children under age 18. Some GA programs give help to able-bodied adults. Other GA programs may only give GA adults who are “not employable.” The GA program for “not employable” adults is called Transitional Assistance.

Families who can’t get Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) might be eligible for a form of GA instead. The GA program for families is called Family and Children Assistance (FCA).

Note: If you can’t get TANF because you are over the 60-month limit or because you are being punished, you are not eligible to get GA.

The kind and amount of GA you can get depends on the rules of your township’s program. Some townships provide monthly cash benefits. Some may make payments to your landlord or utility company.