Thank you for being willing to call your legislator about the importance of General Assistance in Pennsylvania!
If you get disconnected from the call, you can get back on the line by dialing: 833-730-5882
Why General Assistance is so important:
- This critical program provides a small amount of assistance to several thousand of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents, typically during a short period of crisis before other support services can be accessed.
- Eliminating a program that costs the state a very modest amount of money each year is a cold-hearted attack on our at-risk neighbors
- The $200 or so a month provided by General Assistance to these Pennsylvanians is often the difference between someone being able to pay rent and wash clothes, or ending up in a more costly shelter or hospital.
- The assistance is usually provided for a short period of time, often as people are applying for Social Security benefits and other programs, and waiting for the applications to be processed.
- In fact, the Social Security Administration reimburses Pennsylvania for the GA costs after the recipient has been approved.
- General Assistance dollars pay for essential items that can’t be covered by SNAP and other programs – things like toilet paper, toothpaste, & other hygiene products.
- Thousands of vulnerable Pennsylvanians from across the state rely on this assistance to get back on their feet; we should protect this vital lifeline for our neighbors.