The Crisis Assistance program is for families that are in immediate need of food, shelter, or clothing. Families must be eligible to receive TANF cash assistance. 

TANF clients or applicants can get cash assistance for rent, food, clothes, household supplies, and essential furniture if your family is in crisis because you are: 

• Homeless or in danger of becoming homeless because of fire, flood, or another natural disaster, 
• Evicted from your home for any reason,
• Deprived of food or clothing because of a fire, flood, or natural disaster or lost or stolen cash,
• Deprived of food, clothing, furniture, or household supplies due to domestic or sexual violence. For example, leaving your home because someone was abusing you there, or
• Because the wage earner of the house was forced to leave because they were abusing you.

Note: The amount issued for lost or stolen cash cannot be more than the amount that was lost and cannot be more than the TANF payment level for the household size. 

Food: You can receive $5 per person per day until the next SNAP benefits arrive. But assistance for food cannot be authorized to replace lost or stolen SNAP benefits, only lost or stolen cash. 

Rent: If you are without housing or are being evicted, a maximum allowance of $250 for rent is available.

Household furnishings: Money for essential household furnishings is also available, covering items such as beds for each household member, a kitchen table, and kitchen chairs for each household member. 

Non-medical needs related to essential medical care: Food, lodging, and transportation related to essential medical care may qualify for crisis assistance:

• Transportation (the least expensive mode of transportation - mileage rate is 14¢ per mile),
• Food ($9 a day or $3 per meal per person), and 
• A place to stay while essential medical care is provided (adequate and available to meet the person's medical needs).

Clothing and household supplies: Below is a breakdown of how much money you can get for clothing and household supplies depending on the size of your family.

To apply for Crisis Assistance, you will need to visit a Family Community Resource Center (FCRC). A written request is required, and DHS must make a decision within 2 business days. Use the office locator site to find the closest FCRC to you.