Individuals may apply for benefits such as general assistance, food stamps, Medicaid and temporary assistance for needy families online, according to the Morris County Office of Temporary Assistance. Individuals can visit www.mynjhelps.com and avoid a trip to the office.

According to Mary Jo Buchanan, director of the Morris County Department of Human Services, the difficult economic climate has produced dramatic increases in people coming to the OTA offices to apply these programs.

“These days, because of the volume of individuals applying for benefits, the lines in our customer service area can be long,” Buchanan said. “While we certainly will personally sit down and help anyone who comes in to our offices, we just want people to know that applying online, if they have computer access, works in the same way as the in-person application.”

Buchanan said once on the web site, which she called “very user friendly,” the applicant should scroll down to the icon labeled “on-line applications,” follow the directions and answer the questions.

Once an application is evaluated, the individual may be scheduled for a face-to-face or telephone interview, Buchanan said.

The online application is available at anytime of the day or night, seven days a week, and is also ideal for those who have transportation, scheduling or medical issues.

Anyone with questions about the services offered by the Office of Temporary Assistance may call the office at 973-326-7800 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.