The Emergency Assistance program assists families with limited income and resources to cope with immediate crisis related to shelter, utilities or food when other options are not available.

Eligibility Rules
Eligibility rules may vary depending upon the services for which you are applying. See below:

Crisis Intervention Program
This program is designed to assist eligible households experiencing or are in danger of experiencing life-threatening or health-related emergencies due to a heating or cooling crisis.
•Households must have at least one U.S. citizen or eligible alien
•Households must meet income eligibility requirements
•Benefits cannot exceed 300 per state period
•Applicant or their representative must apply for CIP in the county in which the household resides. The applicant must be a resident of North Carolina

County Financial Assistance
This program is used to provide temporary assistance to Guilford County residents in times of personal crisis when other resources are unavailable.
•CFA can assist with one month’s rent or utilities (an exception is the water bill where the entire bill will be considered).
•Benefit Level and Limitations
Assistance may be given with a maximum of $300 within a 12 month period
•Verification of a household’s income is needed as well as verification of the crisis in order to determine a household’s eligibility

I am here to apply for Emergency Assistance service. What do I need to do?
Please take a number and wait to be called. A Customer Care representative (this is the front desk team) will place you on a list to be seen by an Intake caseworker/social worker.

Do I have to come to DSS to apply for service in person?
We prefer that you come in to apply, however, for emergency assistance, if you are disabled or working and can’t get time off, we may be able to arrange for you to have a telephone interview with a Customer Care professional by calling (336) 641-2517 or (336) 641-2518.

Can I make an appointment to speak with a Customer Care professional or do I have to come in to apply?
Yes, you may call us to make an appointment for a face to face interview. However, please note that you may still experience some wait time as we may be working with other customers that were ahead of you on the day of your appointment.

What are your hours of operation?
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

What if I need to contact you after hours?
Our business hours are 8:00 a.m-5:00 p.m. However, there are times that we may refer an individual to the night worker due to the lateness of the day and depending on their crisis situation. If you are referred to the night worker, you may contact us at (800) 378-5315. Otherwise, you would need to call us on the following business day.

What documents do I need to bring with me to apply for service?
You are not required to bring any documents with you in order to apply; however, in order to process your application, bringing the following items may be required depending on which service you are applying for:
•Valid Picture ID
•Social Security Cards for all applicants
•Pay stubs for month of application, however, we may require additional pay stubs depending upon the service for which you are applying
•Utility disconnection notice
•Eviction/Foreclosure notice
•Proof of additional household expenses
•Verification of any deposits needed for electricity, gas, water or deposit and/or 1st month’s rent needed

What is the expected wait time to apply in person?
The average agency wait time to apply/reapply for a program is 2-3 hours. A customer care professional (receptionist) will be able to notify you of your place on the list, but unfortunately, they will not be able to give you an exact wait time.

Can I apply on-line for service?
No. You must apply in person or in special circumstances; you may be able to apply over the telephone.

What is the expected time frame from submitting my application to receiving service?
Depending upon which program you applied for and providing that we have all of the necessary information that we need from you, our timeframes are 18-72 hours from the time your application is received to render a decision of approved or denied. If approved

If I have a pending case and need to provide additional information, do I have to wait in the reception line to see someone in your office?
No, you do not have to wait. You should check in with the receptionist located behind the information desk and advise her/him that you need to see your social worker. For Emergency Assistance, we ask that you DO NOT use the drop box located in our lobby outside of the waiting area to ensure that we have all of the information that we need from you to determine if you qualify for service.

Do I have to stand in line if I have to speak with my caseworker or social worker regarding an ACTIVE or PENDING case?
No, please do not take a number. The receptionist located behind the INFORMATION DESK will notify your social worker that you are in the agency and they will come out and speak with you.

What happens if I miss a deadline my social worker has given me to provide additional information?
You will have to start over and apply for service.

If I come in to apply but have to leave before I am able to see a social worker, do I have to stand in line and start the process over or would I be able to make an appointment?
If you need to leave prior to seeing a social worker, we suggest that you see a Customer Care Professional (receptionist) in the waiting room prior to leaving and ask them for an appointment. However, please note that we not be finished with the customers ahead of you on the day of your appointment so you may still experience some wait time.