By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri's General Relief program is gone after 66 years of providing monthly checks to low-income disabled people.
The program began in 1937 during the Great Depression and enrolled as many as 57,000 people early on. Originally, it provided monthly cash payments both the disabled and parents providing for children. Its purpose changed as the federal government came up with its own welfare system and, in recent years, General Relief was available only those who couldn't get any other welfare, and who were unemployed because of a temporary or permanent disability.
Many are now looking to see whether they'll be approved for Social Security disability payments.