General Assistance Program

Every town in Maine has a General Assistance program that helps people in need who have no other resources.  Assistance is provided for basic necessities, such as affordable housing, utilities, and food. Bangor General Assistance is available to Bangor residents only.

If you are a resident of the City of Bangor in need of General Assistance, you can contact us to schedule a phone appointment. While appointments are completed over the phone, our office is open for dropping off paperwork and picking up approved assistance vouchers. To best assist you, if you have a General Assistance emergency and do not have an upcoming appointment, please call 207-992-4528 and we will conduct a phone interview with you as soon as possible. General Assistance emergencies include:

. A notice of intent to disconnect utility
. A notice of eviction
. Secured new housing with a move-in date
. Heating fuel
. Prescriptions

How to Apply

• Please call our office to request a telephone appointment.
• All adults in the household should be present for the scheduled appointment time.
• A caseworker will contact you by phone at your scheduled appointment time to complete an application for your household.
• Please have all requested documents submitted to us before your scheduled appointment. Documents can be uploaded via our website, emailed to generalassistance@bangormaine.gov or brought to the Public Health office directly. Due to our need to assess eligibility, we may not be able to approve a request for assistance if all documents are not received before your scheduled appointment time and a follow up appointment may be necessary.

Applicants Are Asked to Provide:

• Identification documents (photo identification preferred)
• Proof of any money available to the household during the last 30 days (this includes wages, TANF, child support, social security benefits, veteran’s benefits, financial support such as gifts and loans, etc.)
• Proof of current expenses (repeat applicants must also provide receipts for all purchases)
• Name of landlord
• Current eviction or disconnection notice (when requesting assistance for more than one month’s rent, please include a payment ledger from your landlord that includes a breakdown of what is owed for each month)
• Statement from doctor (if you are unable to work)
• Proof of all current assets and/or benefits received
• Any documents requested at your previous GA appointment regardless of the town in which you applied

Other Requirements

Applicants will be asked to seek any and all resources that would reduce their need for General Assistance, such as:

• Benefits such as SSD, SSDI
• Veteran’s benefits
• DHHS benefits (SNAP, MaineCare, TANF, and FedCap)
• Heating assistance
• Child Support
• Money from others or bills paid by others on your behalf
• Lump sum payments, such as Workers’ Compensation or SSI
• Financial aid for school
• Land claim settlements
• Day labor or temporary employment

It is a basic requirement of the program that everyone works or looks for work.

Contact

Phone: 207-992-4528
Email: GeneralAssistance@BangorMaine.gov
Fax: 207-945-3348