Ponca Elder Assistance

Purpose

Elders are typically on a limited income that is fixed, often making it difficult to continue affording things. This is especially true as the cost of goods and services rises while elders’ incomes do not keep pace and match it, leading to them experiencing financial hardship. The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska desires to help Ponca elders with a financial assistance benefit program to assist them in covering healthcare costs, paying for prescription and nonprescription drugs, obtaining food, paying for housing, covering home repairs and rehabilitation, getting bills paid, and generally helping with normal expenses elders face while not having sufficient income to cover those expenses. The goal of the Elder General Assistance Program (“Program”) is to increase self-sufficiency and promote the general welfare of the Tribe through cash assistance for essential needs of Ponca elders.

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive benefits under the Elder General Assistance Program, as of the Eligibility Deadline (defined below), a person must be both:

• An enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska;
• Fifty-five (55) years of age or older.

A person meeting the above requirements is eligible regardless of residence or domicile. A person must meet each eligibility requirement and be 55 years of age by May | and November 1 of each year’s payments.

Benefit Amount and Schedule

To assist Ponca elders with routine expenses, increase their self-sufficiency, and promote the general welfare, the Tribe will provide to each person eligible under the terms of this Program two payments per year, each in the amount of $500.00. Unless this Program is suspended or terminated by Council before the Distribution Period, the Finance Department will issue the payments under this Program to every eligible person on the following schedule (“Distribution Periods”), with the first payment being made on the scheduled period first occurring after Tribal Council approval of this Elder General Assistance Program:

• Between May 1 and May 15 of each year;
• Between November | and November 15 of each year.

Limitations and Savings

This Program is subject to budgetary constraints and the need to allocate Tribal resources to other programs or services or other urgent needs of the Tribe. This Program does not establish any vested right or entitlement to receive benefits or create any property interest in receiving benefits. The Ponca Tribal Council may suspend, terminate, or discontinue this Program, including benefits provided under it, at any time in its sole discretion and for any reason or no reason at all.

Tribal Council Approved 12/7/21