Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US black) someone who exists on welfare relief.

1949		A.B. Hollingshead Elmtown’s Youth (2007) 405: It is reputed to be a hangout for Poles, Italians (‘Eye-talians’), ‘bush apes,’ ‘brush monkeys,’ ‘yellow hammers,’ and ‘reliefers.’.
1970		(con. 1930s) Earl Thompson A Garden of Sand (1981) 109: ‘What are you doing about it?’ a skeptical reliefer demanded.
1974		J.R. MacIntosh Perspectives on Marginality 239: Thus itinerant worker and reliefer were first isolated ecologically [...] The reliefer finds himself living among men whom the community condemns.