By Ryan Riggins, Riggins Strategic Solutions. NC Real Estate License #361546, eXp Realty.
Last updated June 19, 2026. Important: I am a licensed North Carolina real estate agent, but Riggins Strategic Solutions is an education and media company, not a real estate sales business. I am not here to list or sell your house. This is general education only, not financial, tax, medical, or legal advice. Programs and contacts change, so verify before you rely on them.
If you're caring for an aging parent in Burlington or anywhere in Alamance County, there's more help out there than most families ever hear about. Here it is in plain English, grouped by what you'd actually go looking for. It's part of our growing Senior Help Directory.
Three local front doors open most of these:
- NC 211: dial 2-1-1. Free, 24/7. Routes you to rent, utility, food, and medical help.
- Alamance ElderCare: 336-223-8099. The local nonprofit for aging resources and family caregiver support.
- Alamance County DSS: 336-570-6532. Energy assistance, food benefits, and Medicaid.
Property tax relief
North Carolina's senior tax programs are administered by the Alamance County Tax Department (124 West Elm Street, Graham; 336-228-1312; tax.help@alamancecountync.gov). The deadline for all three is June 1, and after a county revaluation, watch your mail for relief deadlines.
- Homestead Exclusion: greater of $25,000 or 50% off taxable value. 2025 income limit $38,800. Age 65+ or totally and permanently disabled.
- Circuit Breaker: caps tax at 4% of income (up to $38,800) or 5% (up to $58,200). CAUTION: it's a deferral, not forgiveness. The unpaid difference for the current and three prior years becomes a lien at 6% interest, due when the home is sold or the owner passes, and you cannot combine it with the Homestead Exclusion. Understand it before you sign.
- Disabled Veteran Exclusion: $45,000 off, no income limit, no age requirement. An unmarried surviving spouse may also qualify.
All three use Form AV-9, available from the tax office. If you missed the June 1 deadline, call and ask: late applications can sometimes be accepted for good cause. For the full walk-through of how these statewide programs work (and the Circuit Breaker lien trap in particular), see our guide to NC senior property tax relief.
Food
- Alamance County Meals on Wheels delivers hot weekday meals to homebound residents 60+ who cannot prepare their own food. 336-228-8815 (411 W. Fifth Street, Suite A, Burlington).
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC supplies a network of nearly 500 partner pantries and meal programs from Boone to Burlington. Find the nearest one at 336-784-5770 or dial 211.
- SAFE of Alamance and local churches operate food pantries in Burlington, Graham, and across the county; 211 will route you to the closest open pantry.
- SNAP (food stamps) through Alamance County DSS is income-based, so working families qualify too. Apply at epass.nc.gov or 336-570-6532.
Heating, cooling, and utility bills
- LIEAP (a one-time heating payment) and the year-round Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) for a heating or cooling emergency, through Alamance County DSS at 336-570-6532 (LIEAP line 336-229-2974) or epass.nc.gov. Adults 60+ and disabled adults get a priority sign-up window opening December 1.
- Allied Churches of Alamance County (336-229-0881) and the Salvation Army of Alamance County (336-227-5529) help with overdue utility bills through their emergency assistance networks.
- Duke Energy offers customer assistance for past-due accounts; ask them directly or let 211 connect you.
Medicare, Medicaid, and prescriptions
- SHIIP free, unbiased Medicare counseling from the NC Department of Insurance: 1-855-408-1212. Start here before any Medicare decision.
- Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy: apply through Alamance County DSS or ask SHIIP.
- NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy for uninsured NC residents under the income limit: 1-866-331-1348.
Home repairs and safety
- Urgent Repair Program: the City of Burlington runs this program for low-income homeowners anywhere in Alamance County who own and occupy the home and have a special need (such as being 62+, disabled, a veteran, or a single parent). It fixes health-and-safety hazards and pays for accessibility modifications. Applications open in cycles and are not always accepting new requests, so call the Community Development Division at 336-222-5070 to ask about the current cycle.
- NC Weatherization Assistance Program, delivered locally by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council, lowers energy costs through efficiency upgrades and prioritizes seniors and people with disabilities. Access it through 211 or PTRC at 336-904-0300.
- Habitat for Humanity of Alamance County offers home repair help for income-qualified homeowners; ask through 211.
- USDA Section 504 grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62+ in eligible rural areas of the county, through USDA Rural Development.
Rent, housing, and emergency cash
- Allied Churches of Alamance County: an emergency assistance network for documented crises (overdue rent and utilities), plus a shelter and meals. 336-229-0881 (206 N. Fisher Street, Burlington).
- Salvation Army of Alamance County: short-term emergency assistance. 336-227-5529.
- NC 211 is the fastest route to other temporary rent and utility help.
- Alamance County DSS administers emergency and adult services. 336-570-6532.
Transportation
- ACTA (Alamance County Transportation Authority): non-emergency rides countywide for medical appointments, shopping, and general trips. Schedule by 11 a.m. the working day before your trip. 336-222-0565, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- ACTA Dial-A-Ride serves riders 60 and older, with fare assistance and donation-based options; ask the Dial-A-Ride Administrator at 336-222-0565.
- Link Transit runs fixed bus routes in Burlington and Gibsonville for riders who can use a regular bus.
Legal help
- NC Legal Aid Senior Legal Helpline: free civil legal help for anyone 60+, no income limit (powers of attorney, wills, Medicaid and benefits, housing, scams). 1-877-579-7562, Monday to Friday 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
- Piedmont Triad Regional Council Area Agency on Aging (the regional aging agency for Alamance): free options counseling, benefits help, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for nursing-home and assisted-living complaints. 336-904-0300.
- Legal Aid of North Carolina general intake for lower-income residents under 60: 1-866-219-5262.
Caregiver support
- Alamance ElderCare is the local nonprofit built around family caregivers: information and options counseling, a Family Caregiver Education Series, a support group, respite for caregivers of adults 60+, and supplemental supplies. 336-223-8099 (3019 S. Church Street, Burlington).
- The NC Family Caregiver Support Program, delivered regionally through the PTRC Area Agency on Aging, adds caregiver coaching, options counseling, and respite referrals so the family caregiver does not burn out. 336-904-0300.
Staying at home instead of a nursing home
- Piedmont Health SeniorCare (PACE) serves Alamance County from Burlington. PACE coordinates a senior's entire medical care, primary care, a day center, therapy, personal care, prescriptions, and transportation, so someone who would otherwise qualify for a nursing home can keep living at home. For adults 55+ at a nursing-home level of care; most participants pay nothing through Medicare and Medicaid. 336-532-0000 (1214 Vaughn Road, Burlington).
How to use this list
Don't try to call all of it. Pick the one pressure point hurting most right now and start there, or call 211 and let them point you. An adult child can call and apply on a parent's behalf, just have proof of age, proof of income, and the paperwork handy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I start finding senior help in Alamance County?
Start with three front doors. NC 211 (dial 2-1-1) is the free 24/7 line that routes you to rent, utility, food, and medical help. Alamance ElderCare at 336-223-8099 is the local nonprofit for aging resources and caregiver support. Alamance County DSS at 336-570-6532 handles energy assistance, food benefits, and Medicaid.
What property tax relief is available to seniors in Alamance County?
The statewide North Carolina programs apply through the Alamance County Tax Department at 336-228-1312: the Homestead Exclusion (2025 income limit $38,800), the Circuit Breaker (a deferral that caps tax at 4% or 5% of income up to a $58,200 limit and becomes a 6% lien), and the Disabled Veteran Exclusion ($45,000 off, no income limit). The deadline is June 1.
How do older adults in Alamance County get meals?
Alamance County Meals on Wheels delivers weekday meals to homebound residents 60 and older at 336-228-8815. Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC (336-784-5770) and local church pantries fill in, and SNAP is available through Alamance County DSS at 336-570-6532.
My parent can't drive. What transportation does Alamance County offer?
ACTA, the Alamance County Transportation Authority, provides non-emergency rides countywide for medical appointments, shopping, and errands. Riders 60 and older can ask about Dial-A-Ride and fare assistance. Call 336-222-0565 and schedule by 11 a.m. the working day before your trip.
I'm Ryan Riggins. I spent years on the investor side of real estate, then switched to educating families through senior transitions so they don't get taken advantage of during the hardest season of their lives. This guide is free. If it helped, pass it on.
Ryan Riggins | Riggins Strategic Solutions | NC Real Estate License #361546 | eXp Realty | rigginsstrategicsolutions.com
Disclaimer: Ryan Riggins is a licensed North Carolina real estate agent (#361546, eXp Realty). Riggins Strategic Solutions is an education and media company, not a real estate sales business. This guide is not a solicitation to buy, sell, or list your home, and it is not financial, tax, medical, or legal advice. We are not financial advisors, tax advisors, attorneys, or medical providers. Programs, income limits, and contacts change and vary by individual situation. Confirm current details directly with each program or a licensed professional before making any decision.
