General Assistance - Cash Aid for Individuals

Help meeting your basic needs

General Assistance provides temporary cash assistance for individuals who have little or no money. It can be approved for up to 90 days in a 12-month period, and possibly longer for people with disabilities. 

Who may be eligible for General Assistance

• Residents of Sonoma County for at least 15 days
• U.S. citizens or those approved as Lawful Permanent Residents 
• Adults age 18 or older
• Married couples under age 18
• Minors ineligible for other aid

We will review to see if:

• You meet the income and resource limits of the program, including:
  • Reviewing any money received 
  • Cash and bank balances of $50 or less
  • Personal property of $500 or less
  • One vehicle (or two vehicles) with total value of less than $3000. Any vehicle used as a home is not counted.

You may qualify for SonomaWORKS instead if:

• You are pregnant
• Are caring for a child under 18

Services you may receive can include:

• A monthly cash grant for General Assistance, paid on an EBT card, to help pay for essentials such as food, personal items, or transportation
• Payment to a landlord for rent
• Payment towards utilities
• CalFresh and Medi-Cal, if eligible
• Assistance through Job Link to prepare for and find a job
• Help with applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

How to apply

Online: www.benefitscal.com

In Person: SonomaWORKS/Job Link office, 2227 Capricorn Way, Suite 100, Santa Rosa, CA 95407

Hours to apply: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm

Phone: (707) 565-5500

Other locations to request an application

If you need assistance for the application or need an interpreter, assistance is available upon request.