Emergency Money for Pennsylvania Veterans and Their Families
The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) runs the Veterans Temporary Assistance (VTA) Program, which gives temporary financial assistance of up to $1,600 in a 12-month period to veterans and their beneficiaries who reside in Pennsylvania for the necessities of life: food, shelter, fuel and clothing.
To be eligible, a veteran must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and been discharged under honorable conditions after a period of active duty, other than active duty for training, as evidenced by a DD Form 214 or other official documentation. Veterans who died in service or were killed in action, or who suffered a service-connected disability certified by the United States Veterans' Administration, also meet the service test. Unmarried surviving spouses of deceased eligible veterans are eligible to apply. Applicants must be bona fide residents of Pennsylvania who permanently reside in the Commonwealth and who maintain a legal residence in no other state for any purpose.
The money is for a temporary emergency, not an ongoing shortfall. You must be temporarily unable to provide the necessities of living and have a direct and immediate need for assistance that is essential, not for the relief of an inconvenience or for goods and services other than necessities of living. The hardship must come from unforeseen circumstances caused by a temporary loss of income, assets or support due to sickness, disability, unemployment, natural or manmade disaster or other cause beyond your control and not because of misconduct, or from a temporary increase in costs or expenses beyond your control. You also cannot be receiving sufficient monetary assistance from any state or federal agency based on the same need described in the application, and you must show that other funds or resources are not available. Receiving food stamps does not disqualify you.
To apply, contact the County Director of Veterans Affairs in the county where you reside. Gather these mandatory documents first:
- Veteran's DD Form 214 or Report of Separation from active military service
- A copy of the applicant's marriage license and veteran's death certificate for widows and widowers
- A copy of a birth certificate of the veteran's dependent children and if applicable, a copy of court orders indicating payment of child support
- Proof of Pennsylvania residency
- Proof of loss of employment, if applicable, including the applicant's termination notice from employment and last pay slip
- Proof of all other benefits such as unemployment compensation, education benefits, disability compensation or pension, social security, other pensions, union benefits, workman's compensation or insurance benefits
- Proof of lack of other income, including employment pay and allowances, annual or sick leave, income from rental property, savings, financial assistance provided by family and friends, interest and dividends
- Proof of expenses, such as shelter, clothing, health care, child support, essential furnishings, utilities, transportation, communication, food, laundry and personal care
- Receipts indicating current mortgage, rent and all utility payments claimed
For more information about the VTA Program, you can email the DMVA at Ra-vta@pa.gov. Do not send completed applications or personally identifiable information over email.
The page does not give a phone number for the program, office hours, or how long a decision takes, and it does not say whether anything is charged to apply. The County Director of Veterans Affairs for your county can answer those questions when you make contact.
Source: pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/pa-vetconnect/…, read September 18, 2026.
The details
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ation. To qualify for the VTA, a veteran must endure financial circumstances temporarily resulting in insufficient funds to pay for shelter and necessities of living for the veteran and family, when: A veteran is temporarily unable to provide the necessities of living and has a direct and immediate need for assistance. The assistance must be essential and not for the relief of an inconvenience, or the purchase of goods or services other than necessities of living, and, Unforeseen circumstances are caused by temporary loss of income, assets or support due to sickness, disability, unemployment, natural or manmade disaster or other cause beyond the control of, and not because of misconduct by the applicant or, Caused by a temporary increase in costs or expenses beyond the control of, and not because of misconduct by the applicant resulting in insufficient funds to pay for necessities of living. They are eligible veterans or unmarried surviving spouses of deceased eligible veterans. they are bona fide residents of Pennsylvania who permanently reside in this Commonwealth and who maintain a legal residence in no other state for any purpose. They are not receiving sufficient monetary assistance from any state or federal agency based on the need for temporary assistance described in the application. They demonstrate a clear and present direct and immediate need for temporary assistance in order to provide themselves and their families with shelter and the necessities of living. Applicants may be receiving food stamps and still qualify for temporary assistance under these guidelines. Additionally, applicants must show that other funds or resources are not available to address the need for temporary assistance.
- Veteran’s DD Form 214 or Report of Separation from active military service
- A copy of the applicant’s marriage license and veteran’s death certificate for widows and widowers
- Proof of Pennsylvania residency
- Receipts indicating current mortgage, rent and all utility payments claimed
In Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’s words
The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) recognizes that sometimes unforeseen circumstances cause financial burden on veterans and their families. To help veterans falling on challenging times, the DMVA administers the Veterans Temporary Assistance (VTA) Program. The VTA provides temporary financial assistance of up to $1,600 in a 12-month period to veterans and their beneficiaries who reside in Pennsylvania for the necessities of life (food, shelter, fuel and…
Organization
Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/pa-vetconnect/…. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.