General Assistance

General Assistance is a state program administered by municipalities such as the Town of Belgrade to provide assistance to local residents for basic needs such as fuel, rent, food, medication, utilities and other essential services. All assistance is allocated in the form of vouchers. Cash is never granted.

General Assistance (GA) administrators work with applicants to ensure they receive in-house and community referrals for support services. Applications are available online and at the Town Office. Lorna Dee Nichols the Town Manager serves as Belgrade's GA administrator. Town Clerk Mary Vogel serves as the assistant administrator. 

Applicants must provide proof of identification for themselves and all other household members. Driver’s licenses, birth certificates, Social Security cards, passports, etc. are accepted means of identification. Proof of income must be provided for the entire household. Income is not limited to employment wages. Other income sources include: 401k/IRAs, cash, checking/savings accounts, assets such as vehicles and real estate, child support, disability benefits, income tax refunds, pensions, rental income,and  benefits from Social Security, TANF, unemployment and workers compensation. This list is not all-inclusive.

Exception for first-time applicants, GA applicants must document their use of expenses. Current receipts showing how income has been spent are mandatory. Only receipts for basic needs are considered allowed expenses. Examples are, but not limited to, fuel, food, rent, utilities, medication, and work-related expenses. To receive payment of a utility bill, applicants must provide a disconnect notice or the entire bill. Bills will be paid only if they are in the applicant’s name.

It is possible to receive General Assistance while receiving other forms of public assistance, such as SSI, TANF or food stamps. Items not considered basic necessities are ineliglbe for assistance. Those include alcohol, cable television, tobacco, credit card debts, loan payments, late fees, legal fees, pet care, phone bills and vehicle repairs or payments. This list is not all-inclusive.