Delaware Assistance Programs: Food, Cash, Health Coverage, Heating, and 211

Who runs Delaware assistance programs

Delaware is a small state with three counties, and that makes its safety net easier to follow than in most places. A few agencies handle nearly everything:

• Division of Social Services (DSS): the Food Supplement Program, TANF, General Assistance, child care subsidies, and emergency assistance.
• Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance (DMMA): Medicaid, the Delaware Healthy Children Program, and long-term care Medicaid.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington: runs the federally funded heating and cooling program, often called DEAP or LIHEAP, in all three counties.
• Division of State Service Centers: neighborhood offices across the state where you can get help in person.
• Delaware 211: a free, confidential referral line for local help.

DSS and DMMA both sit inside the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). In practice, that means one application and one case number can cover food, cash, and health coverage at the same time.

Programs by need

Use this table to find the right door for each problem. It is a starting map, not a promise of help.

Phone numbers come from the ASSIST contact page and the Catholic Charities energy assistance page.

Applying through Delaware ASSIST

Delaware ASSIST is the state's online application for social service programs. The portal lists these programs: Medicaid, the Food Supplement Program, the Delaware Healthy Children Program, cash assistance, child care services, long-term care, LIHEAP, WIC, the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program, school meals, and SUN Bucks (summer grocery money for school-age children).

A few tips that save time:

• Use "Do I Qualify?" first. The screening tool gives a rough idea of which programs fit before you start the full application.
• Finish in one sitting if you can. The portal's own notes about saving partial applications are not consistent, so set aside 30 to 45 minutes.
• Create an account. It lets you check status, upload papers, renew, and report changes such as a new address or job.
• Watch for an interview call. Food and cash benefits usually need a short phone interview with a caseworker. A missed call is one of the most common reasons for delays.

If you do not have internet, any State Service Center can help you apply, and the DSS Customer Relations line (1-866-843-7212) answers general eligibility questions.

The Food Supplement Program

Delaware calls SNAP the Food Supplement Program. Benefits arrive each month on an EBT card and can be used at most grocery stores and many farmers markets.

Income rules

Delaware uses broad-based categorical eligibility. Under the state's Social Services Manual section 9042, households with gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level are categorically eligible unless an exception applies, and most of them do not face a savings test. Using the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, 200% works out to about:

Passing the gross test does not decide the amount. Your benefit depends on net income after deductions for rent, utilities, child care, and medical costs for older or disabled members. Under federal rules, the most a one-person household can get from October 2026 through September 2027 is $306 a month. Our SNAP calculator gives a rough estimate before you apply.

A note on stolen benefits

ASSIST still lists a form for replacing benefits stolen through card skimming, but it covers only thefts from October 1, 2022 to December 20, 2024. Thefts after that date cannot be replaced under that program, so change your PIN often and lock your card when you are not using it.

TANF cash help for families

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is Delaware's monthly cash program for families with children. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty's 2025–26 Delaware TANF profile:

• The maximum for a family of three is $338 a month, about 16% of the poverty line, and the state has no automatic yearly increase.
• Gross income for a family of three cannot be more than $3,081 a month.
• The asset limit is $10,000.
• Adults can receive cash for 36 months, with some extensions.
• When figuring the benefit, working parents can deduct $90 in work expenses, plus $30 and one-third of remaining income for the first four months.
• About 2,368 Delaware families received TANF in 2025, and roughly 77% of cases were child-only, such as a grandparent raising a grandchild.

Because the payment is small, TANF works best alongside food benefits and Medicaid, which come from the same application. Delaware also offers a one-time diversion payment for a specific short-term need. Our Delaware hardship program guide explains diversion, General Assistance for adults without children, and emergency help at State Service Centers.

Medicaid for adults and seniors

Delaware expanded Medicaid, so most adults ages 19 to 64 can qualify with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, about $1,835 a month for one person using the 2026 guidelines. Parents, pregnant people, people with disabilities, and older adults have their own groups with different limits. The federal law passed in 2025 adds six-month renewals and work requirements for many expansion adults; our Medicaid guide lists the dates.

Long-term care Medicaid

Older adults and people with disabilities who need nursing home care, or help at home that would otherwise mean a nursing home, apply for long-term care Medicaid. DMMA runs separate eligibility units for this. New applicants can call 1-866-940-8963. In Kent County, the long-term care eligibility unit at the James W. Williams State Service Center is at 302-857-5070, and in Sussex County the Thurman Adams State Service Center unit is at 302-515-3150.

Help with Medicare costs

People on Medicare with low income can apply on ASSIST for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program, which can pay the Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026) and Medicare cost sharing. The SSI/QMB unit in New Castle County is at 302-451-3610.

Delaware Healthy Children Program

The Delaware Healthy Children Program (DHCP) is the state's CHIP plan. It covers uninsured children under 19 whose family income is too high for children's Medicaid but at or below 212% of the federal poverty level. Using the 2026 guidelines, 212% is about $2,820 a month for a household of one, $4,827 for three, and $5,830 for four.

Coverage includes doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, dental, and vision. Families in the program pay a small monthly premium for the whole household, and the amount depends on income band. Delaware's past regulations listed premiums from $10 to $25 a month; confirm the current amount with the Health Benefit Manager at 1-800-996-9969 when you enroll.

Apply on ASSIST. If a child is found ineligible for Medicaid, the state checks DHCP automatically, so one application covers both.

Heating and cooling help through Catholic Charities

Delaware's share of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is run by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington. According to its energy assistance page, the heating program runs October 1 to March 31, applications open in July, and the one-time benefit is paid straight to the utility or fuel company. Being eligible does not guarantee a payment, because funding is limited.

Apply at your county office (calls 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.):

Delaware's income test for this program is higher than in many states. Our Delaware utility relief guide covers benefit ranges, crisis help, summer cooling, and the state's shutoff protections in detail.

Delaware 211 and State Service Centers

Delaware 211 is free, confidential, and multilingual. Call 211 or use live chat Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Specialists refer people to food pantries, shelters, utility help, mental health and crisis services, transportation, legal aid, and tax help.

For in-person help, the state runs State Service Centers in all three counties. A few examples from the ASSIST contact list:

• New Castle County: Claymont (302-792-6500), Hudson in Newark (302-453-2800), DeLaWarr in New Castle (302-622-4520), and Appoquinimink in Middletown (302-378-5781).
• Kent County: Williams in Dover (302-857-5020) and Smyrna (302-514-4530).
• Sussex County: Adams in Georgetown (302-515-3080), Shipley (302-628-2011), Laurel (302-875-2280), and Bridgeville (302-337-8261).

Hours can change around holidays, so call before you go. Many centers also host partner agencies, such as WIC clinics and community action programs like First State Community Action Agency.

What papers should you have ready?

Each program asks for its own proof, and ASSIST tells you what is missing after you apply. For the heating program, Catholic Charities lists these: Social Security cards for household members 6 months and older, proof of citizenship or qualified immigration status, a photo ID with your current address, recent utility bills, a lease or proof of ownership, and three months of income records for every adult. If no one has income, it asks for a zero-income form.

For food, cash, and Medicaid, expect to show identity, Delaware residency, income for the last 30 days, and housing costs. Our document checklist has a general list to work from.

A first week plan

1. Day 1: run the "Do I Qualify?" screener on ASSIST, then file one application for food, cash, and health coverage.
2. Day 2: if heat or electric is a problem, call your county Catholic Charities office and ask what to bring.
3. Day 3: upload pay stubs, ID, and bills to your ASSIST account.
4. Days 3 to 7: keep your phone on for the DSS interview call. If you miss it, call 1-866-843-7212.
5. Any day: dial 211 for food pantries or a shelter bed while you wait for a decision.

Related guides

• Delaware rent relief program
• Delaware mortgage relief program
• Delaware debt relief programs
• WIC program eligibility

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Delaware agencies set and change program rules, and the poverty-based dollar figures above are our calculations from the 2026 federal guidelines. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the State of Delaware, Catholic Charities, or any government agency.