Town of Long Island - General Assistance

General assistance program is a service administered by the city for the immediate aid of persons who are unable to provide the basic necessities essential to maintain themselves or their families. The general assistance program provides a specific amount and type of aid for defined needs during a limited period of time and is not intended to be a continuing “grant-in-aid” or “categorical” welfare program. This definition shall not in any way lessen the responsibility of the city to provide general assistance to a person each time that the person has need and is found to be otherwise eligible to receive general assistance.

Assistance for basic necessities: food, clothing, shelter, fuel, electricity, nonelective medical services nonprescription drugs, telephone where it is necessary for medical reasons, property taxes when a tax lien place on the property threatens the loss of the applicant’s place of residence, and any other commodity or service determined essential by the municipality