Duval County, FL Senior Help Directory: Jacksonville Programs for Seniors and Families (2026)

Q: My parents live in Atlantic Beach. Do they get the same property tax break as their friends across the Intracoastal?

They get the same county treatment, because Duval County and the City of Jacksonville are one consolidated government. What is not settled from public information is the city portion. Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin kept their own governments and their own municipal tax levies, and the Property Appraiser's senior exemption page says the exemptions apply to any municipality levy that has also adopted the ordinance without publishing a list of which ones did. So call 904-255-5900, give the exact street address, and ask which taxing authorities on that bill have adopted the senior exemptions. Do not skip applying because you assume the answer is no.

Q: Dad is homebound in Arlington and cannot cook. How do we get him meals?

Call Aging True at 904-807-1203 for Meals on Wheels, which covers Duval and Clay counties for people 60 and older who are homebound with mobility restrictions. If he does not fully meet the eligibility rules, ask about their private pay option rather than giving up. Also call the City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division at 904-255-5400, because the Frances Padgett Arlington Senior Center at 1078 Rogero Road serves a hot midday meal Monday through Friday and breakfast most days at no charge, and getting him out of the house has its own value. If you are not sure which agency covers an address, the ElderSource HelpLine at 1-888-242-4464 will route you in one call.

Q: The air conditioning died and my mother is 82 in Jacksonville. Who helps?

Because she is over 60, start with EHEAP through the City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division at 904-255-5400, or the city's main line at 904-630-2489. EHEAP requires a documented home energy crisis and there can be more than one crisis benefit in a program year. In parallel, call NFCAA's LIHEAP appointment line at 904-362-8052, which is answered around the clock, or apply at floridaliheap.com. If the unit needs replacing rather than a bill paid, the Emergency Repair Program at the city's Housing and Community Development Division is open and covers heating and air conditioning replacement up to $12,000 for owner-occupied homes under 80 percent of area median income. Ask for Jackie Jones at 904-255-8229. If she lives in Jacksonville Beach or Neptune Beach, her utility is Beaches Energy, and its CARE program for customers 60 and older is reached at 904-247-6241.

Q: My father can't drive anymore. What does it cost him to get around Jacksonville?

If he can still ride a regular bus, nothing. JTA riders 65 and older ride free with a Florida driver license, a Florida ID, or a JTA Senior STAR Card. Out-of-state IDs are not accepted, so getting a Florida ID is the first errand. If a disability prevents using the fixed-route bus, apply for Connexion through the Eligibility and Training Center at 904-265-6001, expect an in-person assessment and a decision within 21 days, and then pay $3.00 each way as an ADA rider or $3.50 as a Transportation Disadvantaged rider, exact fare only. Reservations are 904-265-6999 for Connexion and 904-404-0848 for the on-demand Connexion Plus.

Q: Is my mother's PACE program real, and did it not get shut down?

It is real and it was never shut down. The PACE Place, run by PACE Partners of Northeast Florida at 5450 Ramona Boulevard, 904-428-0400, is listed as Operational in Florida AHCA's February 2026 PACE report, the only PACE organization present in Duval County, with 94 enrollees that month. What you probably found was the CMS enrollment sanction of May 17, 2024, which suspended new Medicare enrollments after audit findings. CMS released that sanction effective August 6, 2025 and the program returned to normal enrollment status. Before you call, check the ZIP code against their service area list, because it does not include every ZIP in Duval County.

Q: My husband has dementia and I am exhausted. What is actually available in Jacksonville?

Three things, in this order. Call ElderSource at 1-888-242-4464 and ask about TCARE, the caregiver burnout program for people caring for someone 60 or older, and about GUIDE Dementia Care, Medicare's new dementia model, which provides a care navigator, a 24/7 caregiver helpline, and respite at no cost to Traditional Medicare Part A and B beneficiaries. GUIDE does not accept Medicare Advantage enrollees, people in skilled nursing, or people in hospice or PACE, so check the card first. Second, if the diagnosis itself is unclear, the Mayo Clinic Memory Disorder Clinic at 904-953-7103 is Northeast Florida's state-designated memory clinic. Third, ask ElderSource about Alzheimer's Disease Initiative respite, which covers in-home, facility, emergency, and extended respite of up to 30 days. The Alzheimer's Association helpline at 1-800-272-3900 is answered at 3 a.m., which is often when you need it.

Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Duval County, FL. Education, not advice. Verify before you rely on it.

Start here (works anywhere)

211 (dial 2-1-1), Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-1116, BenefitsCheckUp.org, Medicare 1-800-633-4227, Social Security 1-800-772-1213, VA 1-800-827-1000, Alzheimer's 24/7 Helpline 1-800-272-3900, National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-372-8311, Crisis Lifeline 988

Three local front doors: ElderSource, the Area Agency on Aging and Aging and Disability Resource Center for Northeast Florida, HelpLine 1-888-242-4464 or 904-391-6699, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 10688 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257 | the City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division at 904-255-5400, adultsvcs@coj.net, at City Hall at St. James, 117 West Duval Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 | United Way 211 of Northeast Florida, answered 24 hours a day (dial 2-1-1, call 904-632-0600, or text Hello to 211904)

One thing to understand before you make any of those calls, because it changes the answer to almost every question on this page. In 1968 the City of Jacksonville and Duval County consolidated into one government. For most purposes the city and the county are the same thing, which is why a county senior program here is run by a city department out of City Hall. But four towns kept their own governments and their own city tax levy: Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin. So when someone tells you "the county does not have that program," the honest follow-up question is which government they mean, and whether your address is inside one of those four towns. Give every agency the exact street address, not just "Jacksonville."

That second front door deserves a paragraph. The Senior Services Division is not a referral line. It runs 16 senior centers across Duval County, it runs the county's Older Americans Act meal program, and it is the designated local provider of the elder energy program. It also runs the Foster Grandparent Program, the Senior Companion Program, an Independent Living Program for homebound seniors and their caregivers, a homemaking program, transportation, and the Senior Games. There is no fee to attend a Jacksonville senior center, though nominal fees may be charged for some classes.

Two more numbers to write down. The Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 takes reports of known or suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, 24 hours a day, with TDD at 1-800-453-5145. And the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-888-831-0404 is who you call about a nursing home or an assisted living facility, not the facility's own management.

Before hurricane season, do this one thing. The Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness Division keeps a Special Medical Needs Registry for people who are medically dependent on electricity, who need oxygen, or who have physical, medical, cognitive, or sensory disabilities requiring professional assistance. Registering gets you on the list for a special medical needs shelter, and transportation is coordinated for people who need it, with a call to arrange a pickup time. Register online through the state's Special Needs Registry portal or by calling 904-255-3172. The catch that trips families up every year: you must re-register annually, and renewal notices go out at the start of each calendar year. A caregiver or family member has to go to the shelter with the registrant.

Property tax relief (apply with the Duval County Property Appraiser, 904-255-5900, 231 E. Forsyth Street, Suite 260)

Florida seniors apply for property tax relief through the county Property Appraiser, not the Tax Collector. In Duval County that is Joyce Morgan, CFA, at 231 E. Forsyth Street, Suite 260, Jacksonville, FL 32202, phone 904-255-5900, email pacustserv@coj.net, fax 904-255-7963. The Customer Service and Exemptions Division takes mail at Suite 270 in the same building.

Standard Homestead Exemption (statewide, any qualifying primary residence): up to $50,000 off the assessed value of a permanent primary residence you own and occupy as of January 1. It comes in two pieces, the first $25,000 and an additional amount that applies to assessed value above $50,000. Applications are due by March 1, though Duval accepts late applications for up to 25 days following the mailing of the Notices of Proposed Property Taxes in mid-August. After the first year, the annual increase in assessed value is capped, and that cap is Save Our Homes, which over a decade is often worth more than any exemption listed below.

Now the two senior exemptions, and Duval County offers both of them. Both require that you already have or qualify for the regular homestead exemption, that at least one owner is 65 or older as of January 1, and that total household income for the prior year does not exceed $38,686 for the 2026 exemptions. That income figure is set annually by the Florida Department of Revenue and was $37,694 for 2025.

Limited-Income Additional Homestead Exemption: up to $50,000 more off the assessed value. The Property Appraiser is precise about what it touches: it applies to county and municipal millages only. It does not reduce school district taxes, which are usually the largest single line on a Florida tax bill. That is not a Duval quirk, it is how Florida wrote the law, but it is the reason the savings are smaller than the headline number suggests.

Long-Term Residency Senior Exemption: this is the one worth a phone call, and it has been available in Duval since 2014. Instead of a flat dollar amount, it exempts the ad valorem City of Jacksonville portion of the property taxes entirely. To qualify you must meet the age and income tests above, and:

Have maintained permanent residency on the property for no less than 25 years, uninterrupted.
Have a property just value of less than $250,000.

Read that twice if a parent has been in the same Jacksonville house since 2001 or earlier and it is still modestly valued. This exemption is not a discount, it removes the city's slice. The Property Appraiser also notes it applies to any municipality tax levy that has also adopted the ordinance, which matters if the address is in Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, or Baldwin.

Here is what this page will not guess at. The Property Appraiser publishes the exemptions and the amounts, but it does not publish a list of which of Duval's four other municipalities adopted these ordinances and at what amount. Several Florida counties publish exactly that list, and Duval does not. So if the home is in one of the beach towns or in Baldwin, do not assume, and do not assume against yourself either. Call 904-255-5900, give them the exact street address, and ask which taxing authorities on that specific bill have adopted the senior exemptions. If the home is inside the consolidated city, which is most of Duval County, the answer is straightforward.

The deadline and the paperwork. Apply by March 1 using the Homestead and Related Tax Exemptions Application (Duval 501) together with the Statement of Income (DR-501SC). Expect to provide proof of age and proof of all household income, meaning the IRS Form 1040 or, if no return is required, total income less Social Security benefits. Income here is broad: Social Security, pension, VA retirement annuities, interest, and wages all count. Once granted, the exemptions renew automatically, but you will get an annual verification card, and that card is not junk mail. Do not throw it out.

One housekeeping note. The Property Appraiser has announced that its website is transitioning beginning March 13, 2026. If a link you saved goes dead, that is why. The phone number is the stable thing.

A separate office handles the bill. The Duval County Tax Collector at 231 E. Forsyth Street, Suite 130, phone 904-255-5700, option 4, mails property tax bills in November and cannot grant exemptions. The move that helps most on a fixed income is the Installment Payment Plan. If your estimated taxes total more than $100, you can split the bill into four payments. You enroll on or before April 30 for that year. The first installment is due June 30 with a 6 percent discount, the second September 30 at 4.5 percent, the third December 31 at 3 percent, and the fourth March 31 with no discount. Two traps: you must pay the first installment to be in the plan at all, and if it is not paid by July 31 you are removed for the year.

Food

Aging True Community Senior Services (904-807-1203) runs Meals on Wheels and the congregate dining sites for Clay and Duval counties, preparing close to 300,000 hot and frozen meals a year. Eligibility is 60 or older with a physical or mental disability, homebound, living alone or with others who cannot help prepare meals, and mobility restrictions for home delivery. Drivers do a safety check at the door, which is often the real value of the program. If a parent does not fully meet the eligibility rules, ask about the private pay option rather than walking away.
The City of Jacksonville's senior centers are the underused half of the food answer. Services are for persons 60 years of age and over, there is no fee to attend, a hot nutritionally balanced midday meal is served Monday through Friday at 15 of the 16 centers, and breakfast is offered at 14 sites. A senior center that serves both breakfast and lunch, five days a week, at no charge, is a meaningful amount of a person's food budget. Call 904-255-5400 or the nearest center. The centers are Bennie Furlong Beaches Senior Center, 281 19th Ave. S., Jacksonville Beach; Carvill, 1302 Carvill Ave.; Charlie T. Joseph, 6943 Buffalo Ave.; Frances Padgett Arlington, 1078 Rogero Road; J. S. Johnson, 1112 Jackson St.; Jim Fortuna, 11751 McCormick Road; Lane Wiley, 6710 Wiley Road; Leroy D. Clemons, 55 North Jackson Ave.; Lincoln Villa, 7866 New Kings Road; Mandarin, 3848 Hartley Road; Mary L. Singleton, 150 E. First St.; Maxville, 18065 Pennsylvania Ave.; Oceanway, 12215 W. Sago Ave.; Pine Forest, 4035 Grant Rd.; Riverview, 9620 Water St.; and Southside Community Center, 10080 Beach Blvd.
Feeding Northeast Florida, at 1116 Edgewood Ave N, Jacksonville, FL 32254, phone 904-513-1333, is the regional food bank, distributing through more than 400 partner agencies across 12 counties including Duval. Use the Find Food Now tool at feedingnefl.org. Two of its programs are built for older adults and are worth asking for by name: Feeding Our Seniors, which runs senior food pantries at senior centers and senior communities with low-sodium and whole wheat options, and the Nutrition Pack, tailored to specific dietary needs and delivered to the home.
SNAP (food stamps) is based on income, not age. Apply any time through Florida's MyACCESS portal at myaccess.myflfamilies.com, or call the state customer call center at 850-300-4323.

Energy and utility help

Duval County splits energy help two ways by age, and then splits again by which utility serves the address. Most families call the wrong door first.

EHEAP is the 60 and older program, and in Duval County the city itself runs it. The Florida Department of Elder Affairs lists the Consolidated City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division, 117 West Duval Street, City Hall, Suite 280, Jacksonville, FL 32202, as the EHEAP provider for Duval County, at 904-255-5400. JEA also publishes 904-630-2489 for EHEAP, which is the city's main 630-CITY line. Either gets you to the same government. EHEAP requires at least one person 60 or older in the household, household income at or below 60 percent of State Median Income, and a verifiable home energy crisis, meaning a delinquent utility bill, a shut-off notice, or a lack of fuel or wood. Eligible households may receive more than one crisis benefit per program year, up to a maximum set by FloridaCommerce. Ask the office for the current benefit cap rather than trusting a figure you read elsewhere, because the published amounts vary and the state does not post a per-county number.
LIHEAP is the general program, and in Duval County it is run by the Northeast Florida Community Action Agency (NFCAA), main office 2055 Reyko Road, St. Johns Building, Suite 200, Jacksonville, FL 32207, phone 904-398-7472. The detail that matters most: the appointment line, 904-362-8052, is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If a shut-off notice lands on a Saturday, you are not waiting until Monday to get on the calendar. You can also apply online at floridaliheap.com. NFCAA covers Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam, and St. Johns counties for LIHEAP.
NFCAA also runs Weatherization (WAP) in Baker, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, and Putnam counties, which tests air infiltration, improves heating and cooling, and repairs or replaces insulation. That is the permanent fix rather than the one-time bill payment, and it has nothing to do with age or a crisis. Same office, 904-398-7472.
If the address is in a beach town, the utility is probably not JEA. Beaches Energy Services, run by the City of Jacksonville Beach out of 11 N. 3rd Street, serves more than 36,000 electric and natural gas customers in Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, and Palm Valley. Beaches Energy runs its own CARE Program, funded by customer donations that the utility matches dollar for dollar, and BEAM (Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry) delivers one utility voucher to a qualified recipient. The eligibility categories are named plainly, and the first one is a customer 60 years of age or older whose household meets low or moderate income guidelines, followed by medically certified disability, low income, and emergency relief. In 2025 the CARE program helped 256 customers keep the power on. Call Beaches Energy customer care at 904-247-6241.
Beaches Energy also runs a Medical Support Notification Program for customers who depend on life-supporting electrical medical equipment such as oxygen machines, which flags them for notification of extended scheduled outages. Call 904-247-6281. Note the utility's own caution: registering does not make anyone exempt from an outage, and you are still responsible for backup power and a plan.
JEA customers can request a payment extension or arrangement through JEA rather than defaulting to a shut-off. JEA's own assistance page also points customers to 211, NFCAA, EHEAP, and the city's emergency financial assistance line.
For a past-due bill right now, dial 211 or text Hello to 211904. They keep the current list of church ministries and local funds that still have utility money this month.

Medicare, Medicaid, prescriptions

Florida's SHIP (free Medicare counseling) is SHINE, Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, and in Northeast Florida it is delivered by ElderSource. Counseling is free, and the promise ElderSource makes in writing is worth repeating: counselors and volunteers are not affiliated with any insurance company and will not attempt to sell you insurance, and all counseling records are confidential. They handle turning 65, benefit and billing questions, plan comparisons, and appeals. Call 1-888-242-4464. Start here before any Medicare decision and especially before switching plans during open enrollment.
SMP, the Senior Medicare Patrol, is the fraud side of the same house. It helps beneficiaries, families, and caregivers protect, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse. Report suspected Medicare fraud at 1-800-963-5337, which is 1-800-96-ELDER.
Medicaid in Florida, including long-term care coverage and the programs that help pay Medicare costs, is applied for through the Department of Children and Families at myaccess.myflfamilies.com or 850-300-4323. The same single application covers SNAP food assistance and Temporary Cash Assistance.
Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help, the Low-Income Subsidy that lowers Part D drug costs, are screened through SHINE (1-888-242-4464), Social Security (1-800-772-1213), and MyACCESS. Florida does not run a general statewide senior drug program, so ask SHINE about Extra Help and use BenefitsCheckUp.org to find manufacturer and nonprofit patient-assistance programs for specific medications.
ElderSource also runs the Veteran Directed Care program in partnership with the VA, which helps a veteran stay home and receive services from a caregiver of their own choosing. It is part of the Veterans Health Administration standard medical benefits package. Ask for it by name at 1-888-242-4464.

Home repair and safety

Duval County's repair money runs in windows, and right now some doors are open and some are shut. All of it goes through the City of Jacksonville Housing and Community Development Division, and the person to ask for on the repair programs is Jackie Jones, Housing Services Specialist, 904-255-8229, JJones2@coj.net. The general housing line is 904-255-8200.

Emergency Repair Program (ERP), open to applications, up to $12,000 as a grant. It exists to resolve immediate threats to life and safety, and the eligible work list is specific: replacement or repair of heating and air conditioning, falling ceiling repair, water heaters, electrical components posing an imminent fire hazard, structural components showing signs of imminent collapse, and ADA accessibility. In a Jacksonville August, a dead air conditioner belongs on that list, and this is the program for it.
Limited Repair Program (LRP), currently closed to new applicants, up to $55,000. This is the bigger general repair program, for bringing a home up to code where conditions threaten health or safety or where Municipal Code Compliance has cited the property. Closed is not gone. Call 904-255-8229 and ask when the next application period opens and how you will be notified.
Utility Tap-In Program (UTIP), currently closed to new applicants, up to $55,000. It covers city sewer and water connection, septic repair or replacement, well repair, galvanized pipe replacement, and ADA bathroom accessibility. That last item is the one families miss, because a walk-in shower reads as a remodel rather than a repair program.
The shared rules on all three: the home must be owner occupied and you must live in it, the mortgage and property taxes must be current, mobile homes are not eligible, and total household income must not exceed 80 percent of the area median income for Duval County as established by HUD. Ask for the current income figure when you call, because HUD resets it every year.
NFCAA's Weatherization program at 904-398-7472 is the other real door, and it is not a repair program in name but it replaces insulation and fixes heating and cooling.
211 can find a faith-based or volunteer group that does small safety work such as grab bars and ramps when no government program is open.

Rent, housing, emergency cash

The City of Jacksonville Emergency Financial Assistance Program is the main local door for rent, mortgage, and utility crises, and the way you reach it is specific. Call the appointment line at 904-255-2469. It opens at 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, and appointments are for the next business day on a first-come basis, with priority to people holding a court-ordered eviction notice. The office is at Midtown Centre, 3400 Building, 1809 Art Museum Drive, Suite 100, Jacksonville, FL 32207.
Know the rules before you dial, because they are strict. You must be a Duval County resident with a valid Florida ID showing a Duval address, household income must not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level, you need a documentable crisis with a delinquent, eviction, foreclosure, or shut-off notice, and you must not have received assistance from this program within the past 24 months. If an application is denied there is a 90-day wait before reapplying. That 24-month rule is the one that surprises families who used the program during a past emergency.
The senior-specific piece inside that program: wintertime heating and fuel oil assistance for eligible people ages 64 and older and for disabled adults. The city also provides indigent burial and cremation assistance, which is a hard thing to have to look up and a real thing this office does.
211 Northeast Florida is answered around the clock and keeps the live list of which church and community funds still have money. Dial 2-1-1, call 904-632-0600, or text Hello to 211904.
For Medicaid, SNAP, and Temporary Cash Assistance, apply through MyACCESS at myaccess.myflfamilies.com or 850-300-4323.

Transportation

Start with the fact that surprises people: on JTA, riders 65 and older ride free. Not discounted, free. You show a Florida driver license, a Florida-issued ID, or a JTA Senior STAR Card, and you scan or show it on boarding. Out-of-state IDs are not accepted, which matters for a parent who just moved down and has not switched their license yet. That is worth doing in the first week.

For context on the rest of the fare table: the regular cash fare including the First Coast Flyer is $1.75, the reduced fare is 75 cents for people with disabilities and Medicare cardholders holding an ID STAR Card, ReadiRide is $2.00, a 31-day pass is $65 and a reduced 31-day pass is $32. JTA customer service is 904-630-3100, Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If a disability makes the regular bus impossible, that is Connexion, JTA's door-to-door paratransit, and you must apply and be approved before riding.

Applying takes three steps: submit the application online or on paper, schedule an in-person assessment by calling the Eligibility and Training Center at 904-265-6001, and receive a decision within 21 days. Start this before you need it.
Two eligibility tracks. ADA certification is for people who cannot independently use fixed-route transit under the Americans with Disabilities Act standard. TD, Transportation Disadvantaged, is a separate Florida certification. The fares differ: $3.00 each way for ADA riders and $3.50 each way for TD riders. Exact fare is required and drivers cannot make change.
Reservations for Connexion are at 904-265-6999, daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., booked at least one day ahead and up to seven days out. Connexion Plus, the on-demand version, books at 904-404-0848 with at least two hours notice, 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. weekdays and 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends. Connexion customer service is 904-265-8928. Both operate within Duval County.
Medicaid long-term care plans cover transportation as a plan benefit, so if a parent is enrolled in Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care, ask the plan before paying out of pocket.

Legal help

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is the first call, and the reason is a rule most families never hear. JALA generally considers representation for clients within 200 percent of the poverty line, but several of its program units are not income sensitive at all, and one of them is the Title III unit that serves elderly citizens age 60 and older. So a retired homeowner with savings and a paid-off house is not automatically disqualified. JALA handles elder law, consumer, housing and fair housing, family, public benefits, health, veterans, and education matters. The Jacksonville office serving Duval County residents is at 126 W. Adams St., Jacksonville, FL 32202, phone 904-356-8371. You can also start online with JALA's intake form and expect a call or email back in three to five business days.
A warning JALA posts on its own site, and it belongs on a senior page. JALA's email addresses always end in jaxlegalaid.org. An operation calling itself Legal-Aid-Now is not a civil legal aid firm and is not affiliated with JALA. If someone contacts a parent claiming to be legal aid and the email does not end in jaxlegalaid.org, call the office directly at 904-356-8371 to check.
Florida's Senior Legal Helpline gives free legal advice and brief services by phone to Florida residents 60 and older on civil matters including housing, family, government benefits, and contract and consumer problems. Call 1-888-895-7873, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is operated by Bay Area Legal Services and serves seniors statewide, so it is a second shot if the local office is at capacity. Interpreters are free.
To report suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873, 24 hours a day. For a problem inside a nursing home or assisted living facility, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-888-831-0404.

Caregiver support

ElderSource carries most of the caregiver load in Duval County, and its programs have names worth using when you call 1-888-242-4464.

TCARE, the Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral program, is the burnout program. A caregiver is interviewed to identify the actual stressors, and then a plan is built to address the root causes rather than handing over a brochure. You qualify if you are caring for someone age 60 or older who lives in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, St. Johns, Nassau, or Volusia County.
Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a free evidence-based program, six classes held once a week, led by trained class leaders. The Virtual Caregiver Support Group meets over Zoom in 60-minute sessions with a skilled moderator, built specifically for caregivers who cannot physically leave the person they care for.
The Sharing and Caring Closet is the quietest useful thing on this page. ElderSource started it in 2024 because so many callers could not afford consumable medical supplies: disposable incontinence undergarments, waterproof pads, personal hygiene wipes. Insurance rarely covers any of it and the monthly cost is real. Call the HelpLine at 1-888-242-4464 or walk in to 10688 Old St. Augustine Road with a genuine request. Availability depends on inventory, and ElderSource will assist an individual once every three months.
GUIDE Dementia Care is new and it is the single best-value program here if it fits. Medicare's Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience model, delivered locally through ElderSource, provides a care navigator, a 24/7 clinical support helpline for caregivers, in-home or facility-based respite, care coordination, home safety assessments, medication management, and caregiver training, at no cost to Traditional Medicare Part A and B beneficiaries. Eligibility is a confirmed dementia diagnosis, living at home or in the community. Not eligible: people with mild cognitive impairment only, Medicare Advantage enrollees, people living in a skilled nursing facility, and people already in hospice or a PACE organization. That Medicare Advantage exclusion catches a lot of Florida families, so check the card before you get your hopes up.
Florida's Alzheimer's Disease Initiative funds respite through the Area Agency on Aging for people 18 and older with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia: in-home, facility-based, emergency, and extended respite of up to 30 days. Caregivers can also access case management, specialized medical equipment and supplies, counseling, support groups, and training. Start at 1-888-242-4464.
For diagnosis, Duval County has a state-designated memory clinic. Florida's legislature funds a network of Memory Disorder Clinics that provide comprehensive diagnostic and referral services, and the one serving this region is the Mayo Clinic Memory Disorder Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32224, 904-953-7103. If you are chasing a diagnosis and getting nowhere, this is the door.
The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is staffed at any hour, and 211 can point you to local support groups.

Staying at home instead of a nursing home

Florida Medicaid pays for care at home through the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program, for people 65 and older who are Medicaid eligible, or 18 and older and Medicaid eligible by reason of a disability, who are also determined by the state's CARES unit at the Department of Elder Affairs to meet a nursing home level of care. Plans must cover, at minimum, adult companion care, adult day care, assistive care, assisted living facility services, attendant care, behavior management, caregiver training, case management, home accessibility adaptation, home delivered meals, homemaker, hospice, skilled nursing, medical equipment and supplies, medication administration and management, nursing facility care, nutritional assessment, occupational, physical, respiratory and speech therapy, personal care, personal emergency response systems, respite care, and transportation. ElderSource is where you start, and its intake specialists can walk you through the Medicaid eligibility process. Call 1-888-242-4464. Ask about the waitlist on that first call, and start early.
PACE (the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) wraps all medical care, therapy, an adult day center, home care, and prescriptions into one program for people 55 and older who meet a nursing home level of care but can live at home with help. Duval County has one PACE organization: The PACE Place, run by PACE Partners of Northeast Florida.
- Day center: 5450 Ramona Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32205, phone 904-428-0400, TDD/TTY 800-955-8771, open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Eligibility: at least 55 years old, able to live safely in the community, approved by the state for nursing home care, and living in one of their service area ZIP codes.
- Cost: no cost to join if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, or for Medicaid alone, with no deductible or copayment for any drug, service, or care approved by your care team. With Medicare only, or with neither, you can still join for a monthly fee, and private pay participants are accepted. All care must go through the PACE network, so out-of-network care other than emergencies may be your own bill.
Check the ZIP code before anything else, because the service area is drawn by ZIP and it does not cover all of Duval County. The published service area is 32065, 32073, 32202, 32204, 32205, 32206, 32207, 32208, 32209, 32210, 32211, 32212, 32216, 32217, 32218, 32219, 32220, 32221, 32222, 32223, 32224, 32225, 32244, 32246, 32254, 32257, 32258, and 32277. Two of those, 32065 and 32073, are over the line in Clay County, and several Duval ZIP codes do not appear at all. Jacksonville Beach, 32250, is not on that list. If your parent's ZIP is missing, PACE is not an option at that address today, and the conversation should move to Medicaid long-term care through ElderSource instead.
Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration monthly PACE report for February 2026 lists Duval County with PACE Partners of NE Florida, status Operational, 94 enrollees that month and 111 unique individuals served in the fiscal year to date, against 250 slots approved and 250 funded, with initial AHCA approval on June 27, 2018. No other PACE organization appears for Duval, operational or pending. Clay County shows the same organization with zero enrollees.
One piece of history you will find if you search, so here it is straight. On May 17, 2024, CMS suspended new Medicare enrollment at PACE Partners of Northeast Florida after deficiencies found in 2021, 2022, and 2023 trial-period audits and a 2024 finding that it lacked contracts with required medical specialists. The organization attested that the violations were corrected as of March 31, 2025, CMS required a validation audit, and effective August 6, 2025, CMS released the sanction and returned the program to normal enrollment status. So the freeze is over. It is still fair to ask the program directly how staffing and specialist access look now, and CMS has said it expects continued post-sanction corrective action and monitoring.
The city's own senior centers, meals, homemaking, Senior Companion, and Independent Living programs through Senior Services at 904-255-5400 also help an older adult stay home longer, and none of them require a Medicaid determination to start.

Frequently asked questions

Mom is 79 and has been in the same Jacksonville house since 1994. Is there anything better than the regular senior exemption? Very likely yes, and this is the one to chase. Duval County offers the Long-Term Residency Senior Exemption, available here since 2014, which exempts the City of Jacksonville portion of the property taxes rather than knocking a flat amount off the value. She needs to be 65 or older, have prior-year household income at or below $38,686, have kept permanent residency on the property for at least 25 uninterrupted years, and the property's just value must be under $250,000. She clears the years easily. Call the Property Appraiser at 904-255-5900 and ask them to run her for the Long-Term Residency version, not just the limited-income one. File the Duval 501 and the DR-501SC by March 1.

My parents live in Atlantic Beach. Do they get the same property tax break as their friends across the Intracoastal? They get the same county treatment, because Duval County and the City of Jacksonville are one consolidated government. What is not settled from public information is the city portion. Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin kept their own governments and their own municipal tax levies, and the Property Appraiser's senior exemption page says the exemptions apply to any municipality levy that has also adopted the ordinance without publishing a list of which ones did. So call 904-255-5900, give the exact street address, and ask which taxing authorities on that bill have adopted the senior exemptions. Do not skip applying because you assume the answer is no.

Dad is homebound in Arlington and cannot cook. How do we get him meals? Call Aging True at 904-807-1203 for Meals on Wheels, which covers Duval and Clay counties for people 60 and older who are homebound with mobility restrictions. If he does not fully meet the eligibility rules, ask about their private pay option rather than giving up. Also call the City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division at 904-255-5400, because the Frances Padgett Arlington Senior Center at 1078 Rogero Road serves a hot midday meal Monday through Friday and breakfast most days at no charge, and getting him out of the house has its own value. If you are not sure which agency covers an address, the ElderSource HelpLine at 1-888-242-4464 will route you in one call.

The air conditioning died and my mother is 82 in Jacksonville. Who helps? Because she is over 60, start with EHEAP through the City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division at 904-255-5400, or the city's main line at 904-630-2489. EHEAP requires a documented home energy crisis and there can be more than one crisis benefit in a program year. In parallel, call NFCAA's LIHEAP appointment line at 904-362-8052, which is answered around the clock, or apply at floridaliheap.com. If the unit needs replacing rather than a bill paid, the Emergency Repair Program at the city's Housing and Community Development Division is open and covers heating and air conditioning replacement up to $12,000 for owner-occupied homes under 80 percent of area median income. Ask for Jackie Jones at 904-255-8229. If she lives in Jacksonville Beach or Neptune Beach, her utility is Beaches Energy, and its CARE program for customers 60 and older is reached at 904-247-6241.

My father can't drive anymore. What does it cost him to get around Jacksonville? If he can still ride a regular bus, nothing. JTA riders 65 and older ride free with a Florida driver license, a Florida ID, or a JTA Senior STAR Card. Out-of-state IDs are not accepted, so getting a Florida ID is the first errand. If a disability prevents using the fixed-route bus, apply for Connexion through the Eligibility and Training Center at 904-265-6001, expect an in-person assessment and a decision within 21 days, and then pay $3.00 each way as an ADA rider or $3.50 as a Transportation Disadvantaged rider, exact fare only. Reservations are 904-265-6999 for Connexion and 904-404-0848 for the on-demand Connexion Plus.

Is my mother's PACE program real, and did it not get shut down? It is real and it was never shut down. The PACE Place, run by PACE Partners of Northeast Florida at 5450 Ramona Boulevard, 904-428-0400, is listed as Operational in Florida AHCA's February 2026 PACE report, the only PACE organization present in Duval County, with 94 enrollees that month. What you probably found was the CMS enrollment sanction of May 17, 2024, which suspended new Medicare enrollments after audit findings. CMS released that sanction effective August 6, 2025 and the program returned to normal enrollment status. Before you call, check the ZIP code against their service area list, because it does not include every ZIP in Duval County.

Mom needs a lawyer about a contractor who took her money, but she owns her home outright. Does she make too much for legal aid? Probably not, and this is the most common wrong assumption on this page. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid's Title III unit for people age 60 and older is not income sensitive. Most other JALA units apply a 200 percent of poverty test, but the elder unit does not. Call 904-356-8371 or go to 126 W. Adams Street. If they cannot take it, call Florida's Senior Legal Helpline at 1-888-895-7873, free to any Florida resident 60 and older. And be careful who calls her back: JALA warns that Legal-Aid-Now is not affiliated with them, and genuine JALA email addresses end in jaxlegalaid.org.

My husband has dementia and I am exhausted. What is actually available in Jacksonville? Three things, in this order. Call ElderSource at 1-888-242-4464 and ask about TCARE, the caregiver burnout program for people caring for someone 60 or older, and about GUIDE Dementia Care, Medicare's new dementia model, which provides a care navigator, a 24/7 caregiver helpline, and respite at no cost to Traditional Medicare Part A and B beneficiaries. GUIDE does not accept Medicare Advantage enrollees, people in skilled nursing, or people in hospice or PACE, so check the card first. Second, if the diagnosis itself is unclear, the Mayo Clinic Memory Disorder Clinic at 904-953-7103 is Northeast Florida's state-designated memory clinic. Third, ask ElderSource about Alzheimer's Disease Initiative respite, which covers in-home, facility, emergency, and extended respite of up to 30 days. The Alzheimer's Association helpline at 1-800-272-3900 is answered at 3 a.m., which is often when you need it.

Sources

Duval County Property Appraiser, Senior Citizen Homestead Exemptions: two exemptions for limited-income owners 65 or older as of January 1, 2026 with total household income of $38,686 based on prior year income; the Limited-Income Additional Homestead Exemption of up to $50,000 applying to county and municipal millages (tax rates) only; the Long-Term Residency Exemption, available since 2014, which exempts the ad valorem City of Jacksonville's portion of property taxes and applies to any municipality tax levy that has also adopted the ordinance, requiring permanent residency no less than 25 years (uninterrupted) and property just value less than $250,000; application on the Homestead and Related Tax Exemptions Application (Duval 501) plus the Statement of Income (DR501sc), with proof of age and proof of all household income including Social Security, pension, VA retirement annuities, interest and wages, and adjusted gross income taken from IRS Form 1040 or, for non-filers, total income minus Social Security benefits; deadline March 1 each year with late applications accepted up to 25 days following the mailing of the Notices of Proposed Property Taxes in mid-August; auto-renewal with an annual verification card; Customer Service/Exemptions Division, (904) 255-5900, pacustserv@coj.net, 231 E. Forsyth Street, Suite 270, Jacksonville, FL 32202, fax (904) 255-7963: https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/property-appraiser/exemptions/senior-citizen-homestead-exemptions . Verified August 11, 2026.
Duval County Property Appraiser, Exemptions overview and office information: standard homestead of $25,000 plus up to an additional $25,000 on assessed value over $50,000; $500 disability exemption; $5,000 disabled veteran exemption; blindness, widow and widower, service-connected total and permanent disability, conservation, and historic preservation exemptions; Property Appraiser Joyce Morgan, CFA; office at 231 E. Forsyth Street, Suite 260, Jacksonville, Florida 32202, (904) 255-5900, fax (904) 255-7963, pacustserv@coj.net; notice that the Duval County Property Appraiser website will be transitioning beginning March 13, 2026: https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/property-appraiser/exemptions and https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/property-appraiser . Note: the Property Appraiser does not publish a list of which Duval municipalities adopted the local-option senior exemptions, which is why this article routes readers in Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Baldwin to call with their exact address rather than stating an amount. Verified August 11, 2026.
Florida Department of Revenue, Two Additional Homestead Exemptions for Persons 65 and Older, revised January 2026: household income limitation of $38,686 for 2026 and $37,694 for 2025; confirms both exemptions are local-option under s. 196.075, F.S. and Art. VII s. 6(d) of the Florida Constitution, apply only to the millage of the adopting county or city, and do not apply to school district or other taxing unit millage; confirms the second exemption equals the assessed value of the property for an owner with just value under $250,000 who has maintained permanent residence at least 25 years and is 65 or older: https://floridarevenue.com/property/Documents/AdditionalHomesteadExemptions.pdf . Verified August 11, 2026.
Duval County Tax Collector, Prepayment of Estimated Tax by the Installment Method: available if estimated property taxes are over $100; application on or before April 30; 1st installment due June 30 with a 6 percent discount, 2nd due September 30 at 4.5 percent, 3rd due December 31 at 3 percent, 4th due March 31 with no discount; a taxpayer must pay the 1st installment to participate and is removed from the plan if it is not paid by July 31; Attn: Installment Processing, 231 E. Forsyth Street, Suite 130, Jacksonville, FL 32202-3370, (904) 255-5700, option 4, taxdept@coj.net: https://taxcollector.jacksonville.gov/taxes/property-taxes/property-taxes-installment-payments . Property tax bills mailed to owners of record in November; taxcollector@coj.net: https://taxcollector.jacksonville.gov/taxes/property-taxes . Verified August 11, 2026.
ElderSource, the Area Agency on Aging and Aging and Disability Resource Center for Northeast Florida: HelpLine local (904) 391-6699, toll free (888) 242-4464, Florida Relay 711, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 10688 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257; serving Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns, and Volusia counties; accredited by Inform USA: https://myeldersource.org/get-help/elder-helpline/ . SHINE described as free, unbiased counseling on Medicare insurance issues with counselors and volunteers not affiliated with any insurance company who will not attempt to sell you insurance, reachable at 1-888-242-4464; SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) helping beneficiaries, families and caregivers protect, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse, with suspected fraud reported at 1-800-963-5337: https://myeldersource.org/get-help/medicare-help/ . Long-Term Care intake for the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care Program at (888) 242-4464, plus Veteran Directed Care in partnership with the VA allowing a veteran to receive services from a caregiver of their choosing: https://myeldersource.org/get-help/long-term-care/ and https://myeldersource.org/get-help/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
ElderSource, Sharing and Caring Closet: founded 2024 to provide consumable medical supplies including disposable incontinence undergarments, waterproof pads and personal hygiene wipes that are costly and not often covered by insurance; call the HelpLine at 1 (888) 242-4464 or walk in with a genuine request; items available depending on inventory; ElderSource will assist individuals once every three months: https://myeldersource.org/get-help/sharing-and-caring-closet/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
ElderSource, Caregiver Support and GUIDE Dementia Care: TCARE (Tailored Caregiver Assessment & Referral) for caregivers at risk of burnout, eligible if supporting a loved one age 60 or older residing in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, St. Johns, Nassau or Volusia County; Powerful Tools for Caregivers, a free evidence-based program of six weekly classes; a Virtual Caregiver Support Group of 60-minute Zoom sessions with a skilled moderator; GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience), Medicare's model providing a care navigator, 24/7 clinical support helpline, in-home or facility-based respite, care coordination, home visits and safety checks, medication management and caregiver training at no cost to Traditional Medicare Part A and B beneficiaries, requiring a confirmed dementia diagnosis and living at home or in the community, and not available to people with mild cognitive impairment, Medicare Advantage enrollees, people living in a skilled nursing facility, or people participating in hospice or a PACE organization: https://myeldersource.org/caregiver-support/ and https://myeldersource.org/caregiver-support/guide-dementia-care/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
ElderSource, Elder Abuse Prevention: Florida Abuse Hotline 1-800-962-2873 (1-800-96-ABUSE), 24/7, TDD 1-800-453-5145, for suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult; Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-888-831-0404 for concerns about nursing homes and assisted living facilities: https://myeldersource.org/get-help/elder-abuse-prevention/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
City of Jacksonville, Senior Services Division: Chief of Senior Services Tourea Robinson, (904) 255-5400, adultsvcs@coj.net, City Hall at St. James, 117 West Duval St., Jacksonville, FL 32202; general service requests (904) 630-CITY (2489); 16 community and senior centers listed (Bennie Furlong Beaches, Carvill, Charlie T. Joseph, Frances Padgett Arlington, J. S. Johnson, Jim Fortuna, Lane Wiley, Leroy D. Clemons, Lincoln Villa, Mandarin, Mary L. Singleton, Maxville, Oceanway, Pine Forest, Riverview, Southside Community Center) with addresses; programs listed as Foster Grandparent, Independent Living for homebound seniors and caregivers, Senior Companion, Homemaking, Transportation, and Special Events: https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/senior-services and https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/senior-services/community-and-senior-centers.aspx . Senior Center Services: services offered for persons 60 years of age and over; hot nutritionally balanced meals Monday through Friday at 15 of the centers; breakfast offered at 14 sites, Jim Fortuna Monday through Thursday and Maxville on select days; "There are no fees to attend the Jacksonville Senior Centers," with nominal fees possible for some classes; meal information at (904) 255-5400: https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/senior-services/senior-center-services . Verified August 11, 2026.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs, EHEAP 2025-2026 Providers List (updated October 2025): PSA 4 lead agency Northeast Florida Area Agency on Aging, Inc. / dba ElderSource, 10688 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257, 904-391-6600 / 904-391-6621, serving Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns and Volusia counties; Duval County provider listed as "Consolidated City of Jacksonville- Senior Services Division, 117 West Duval Street- City Hall- Suite 280, Jacksonville, Florida 32202," phone 904-255-5400: https://elderaffairs.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2025-2026-EHEAP-Providers-List_October-2025.pdf . EHEAP program rules: at least one individual age 60 or older in the home; household gross income at or below 60 percent of the State Median Income; home energy crisis defined as a delinquent utility bill, lack of fuel or wood, or the receipt of a shut off notice; eligible households may receive multiple Crisis Benefits per program year up to a maximum set by FloridaCommerce, with no dollar figure published: https://elderaffairs.org/programs-and-services/emergency-home-energy-assistance-for-the-elderly-program/ . This article names the program and routes to the office rather than printing a benefit amount, because no official per-county figure is published. Verified August 11, 2026.
Northeast Florida Community Action Agency (NFCAA): LIHEAP assistance with past due utility bills and deposits, apply online at floridaliheap.com/relief_program, serving Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam, and St. Johns counties: https://nfcaa.org/utility-assistance/ . Main and Duval County office at 2055 Reyko Road, St. Johns Building, Suite 200, Jacksonville, FL 32207, TEL 904 398 7472, fax 904 398 7414, Executive Director Karen Marino, LIHEAP coordinator Ebony Wilkins, Weatherization coordinator Emanuiel Roberts: https://nfcaa.org/locations/ . Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) provided in Baker, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, and Putnam counties, testing air infiltration, improving heating and air conditioning, and replacing or repairing insulation, with the appointment line for Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 904-362-8052: https://nfcaa.org/programs/ and https://nfcaa.net/programs/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
JEA, Community Resources: lists United Way of Northeast Florida 2-1-1 at 211 or (904) 632-0600; LIHEAP administered by the Florida Department of Commerce and the Northeast Florida Community Action Agency; EHEAP at (904) 630-2489 assisting low-income households with at least one person age 60 and older; City of Jacksonville general information (904) 630-2489, Emergency Financial Assistance (904) 255-2469, Military/Veteran Services (904) 255-5550, Housing Services (904) 255-8200 or (904) 255-8229; ElderSource Aging & Disability Helpline (904) 391-6699 or (888) 242-4464; Feeding Northeast Florida; and JEA's own request-an-extension-or-arrangement option: https://www.jea.com/residential_customers/community_resources/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
Beaches Energy Services (City of Jacksonville Beach): provides electric and natural gas service to Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Palm Valley, and Neptune Beach, more than 36,000 customers; 11 N. 3rd Street, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250, in the City Hall Building; business hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: https://beachesenergy.com/about-us . CARE Program: assistance for Beaches Energy customers unable to pay a utility bill due to financial hardship, funded by customer donations that Beaches Energy matches, with eligibility categories of Senior Citizen (a customer 60 years of age and older whose household meets low or moderate income guidelines), Disabled, Low Income, and Emergency Relief; BEAM (Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry) will deliver ONE utility voucher to qualified recipients; in 2025 the CARE program provided financial assistance to help 256 Beaches Energy customers keep their electricity on: https://beachesenergy.com/about-us/care-program . Special Needs Services: a Medical Support Notification Program for customers who depend on life saving specialized electrical medical equipment such as oxygen machines, at 904-247-6281, with customers requiring medically essential service solely responsible for backup equipment and a plan of action; Florida Relay voice 800-955-8770 and TTY 800-955-8771; and a referral to Duval County Emergency Preparedness at 904-255-3172 for evacuation assistance registration: https://beachesenergy.com/about-us/special-needs . Customer care 904-247-6241, 24-hour emergency service 904-247-6171, 11 North 3rd Street: https://beachesenergy.com/contact . City of Jacksonville Beach government offices at 11 North Third Street, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250, 904-247-6100: https://www.jacksonvillebeach.org/358/Government . Verified August 11, 2026.
JaxReady (City of Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness Division), Special Medical Needs Registry: for people medically dependent on electricity for life-supporting equipment, requiring oxygen, or with physical, medical, cognitive or sensory disabilities needing professional assistance; register online through the state Special Needs Registry portal, by phone at (904) 255-3172, or by mail or fax; each client must re-register every year to remain in the system, with renewal notifications at the start of each calendar year; transportation is provided during evacuations, with individuals requiring transportation contacted by phone to coordinate a pickup time; a caregiver or family member must accompany the registrant to the shelter: https://www.jaxready.com/Preparedness/Special-Medical-Needs-Registration . Verified August 11, 2026.
Aging True Community Senior Services, Nutrition: Meals on Wheels for the elderly who have a physical or mental disability and are home-bound, living alone, or with others who need help preparing meals; recipients must be 60 years or older with mobility restrictions for home delivery; serving Clay and Duval Counties; nearly 300,000 hot and frozen meals delivered annually with safety checks by drivers; congregate dining sites throughout both counties; Private Pay program for those who do not fully meet eligibility; (904) 807-1203: https://agingtrue.org/nutrition/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
Feeding Northeast Florida: regional food bank distributing through more than 400 partner agencies across 12 counties (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Union); programs include Feeding Our Seniors, senior food pantries at senior centers and communities with low-sodium and whole wheat options, and the Nutrition Pack, tailored to specific health and dietary needs with home delivery; Find Food Now tool at https://feedingnefl.org/find-food-now/ : https://feedingnefl.org/programs/ . Address 1116 Edgewood Ave N, Jacksonville, FL 32254 and phone 904-513-1333 per the organization's public listings: https://feedingnefl.org/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
City of Jacksonville, Housing and Community Development Division, Housing Services: Emergency Repair Program (ERP), open to applications, maximum award $12,000, a grant, covering replacement or repair of heating and air conditioning, falling ceiling repair, water heaters, electrical components posing an imminent fire hazard, structural components showing signs of imminent collapse, and ADA accessibility; Limited Repair Program (LRP), closed to new applicants, maximum award $55,000, for general repair to bring homes up to code where municipal code violations or health and safety threats exist; Utility Tap-In Program (UTIP), closed to new applicants, maximum award $55,000, covering city sewer and water connection, septic repair or replacement, well repair, ADA bathroom accessibility, and galvanized pipe replacement; all require owner occupancy, current mortgage and property taxes, and household income not exceeding 80 percent of the area median income for Duval County as established by HUD, with mobile homes ineligible; contact Jackie Jones, Housing Services Specialist, JJones2@coj.net, 904-255-8229: https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/neighborhoods/housing-and-community-development/housing-services . Verified August 11, 2026.
City of Jacksonville, Emergency Financial Assistance Program: temporary financial assistance to prevent eviction for non-payment of rent or mortgage or interruption of utilities, plus heating and fuel oil aid and indigent burial or cremation assistance; requires Duval County residency, a valid Florida ID with a Duval County address, household income not exceeding 200 percent of the federal poverty level, a documentable crisis with a delinquent, eviction, foreclosure or shut-off notice, and "You must not have received financial assistance from our program within the past 24 months", with a 90-day waiting period between denied applications; wintertime heating and fuel oil assistance for eligible elderly individuals ages 64 years and older and disabled adults; appointment line (904) 255-2469, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the appointment line opening at 9:30 a.m., next-business-day appointments on a first-come basis with priority to court-ordered eviction notices; Midtown Centre, 3400 Building, 1809 Art Museum Drive, Suite 100, Jacksonville, FL 32207: https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/social-services/emergency-financial-assistance-program . Verified August 11, 2026.
United Way of Northeast Florida, 211: dial 2-1-1, call 1-904-632-0600, or text "Hello" to 211904; available 24/7; free to residents; connects people to essential health, human and social services including information and referral, crisis intervention, and care coordination for veterans, with a searchable database of community resources; also lists 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Mission United, and Ride United: https://unitedwaynefl.org/get-help/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Fares and Passes: Senior Fare (65+): Free, with riders showing a Florida driver license, Florida-issued ID, or JTA Senior STAR Card, and out-of-state IDs are not accepted; Regular Fare including First Coast Flyer $1.75; Reduced Fare 75 cents for persons with disabilities and Medicare cardholders presenting an ID STAR Card; ReadiRide $2.00; 1-Day Pass $4.50, 3-Day $12, 7-Day $20, 31-Day $65, 31-Day Youth or Reduced $32; Connexion paratransit $3.00 each way for ADA riders and $3.50 each way for TD riders, exact fare required because drivers cannot make change; customer service (904) 630-3100, Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: https://www.jtafla.com/rider-guide/fares-passes/ . Paratransit Services: three-step application (submit application, schedule an assessment with the Eligibility and Training Center, receive a decision within 21 days); Eligibility and Training Center (904) 265-6001; Connexion Reservations (904) 265-6999, daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at least one day prior and up to seven days ahead; Connexion Plus Reservations (904) 404-0848, 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. weekdays and 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends, requiring at least two hours notice; Connexion Customer Service (904) 265-8928; service within Duval County: https://www.jtafla.com/transit-services/paratransit-services/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA): a non-profit law firm providing free civil legal assistance; "Generally, JALA will consider representation of clients that are within 200% of the poverty line," and "There are however many of our program units that are not income sensitive. The units that are not income sensitive are the fair housing unit, Ryan White unit (HIV/AIDS), Immigration unit, and our Title III unit that helps our elderly citizens that are age 60 and" older; case types include community development, consumer, education, family law, elder law, employment and unemployment, fair housing, housing, health, public benefits, mental health, veterans and immigration; apply online with a response in 3 to 5 business days or call an office; site-wide warning that "Legal-Aid-Now is NOT a civil legal aid firm and is not affiliated with JALA" and that JALA staff email addresses end in jaxlegalaid.org; Jacksonville Office serving residents of Duval County, 126 W. Adams St., Jacksonville, FL 32202, (904) 356-8371: https://www.jaxlegalaid.org/apply/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
Bay Area Legal Services, Florida Senior Legal Helpline for eligible Florida residents aged 60 and older statewide at (888) 895-7873, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., covering housing problems, family matters, government benefits, contract issues and more, with language interpreters available at no cost: https://bals.org/help/seniors . Verified August 11, 2026.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI): established by legislation in 1985; respite care for individuals aged 18 and older diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, delivered as in-home care, facility-based care, emergency respite, and extended care up to 30 days, plus case management, specialized medical equipment and supplies, counseling, support groups and training; delivered through the 11 Area Agencies on Aging: https://elderaffairs.org/programs-and-services/alzheimers-disease-initiative-adi/ . Memory Disorder Clinic Location Map: the legislature has authorized 17 memory disorder clinics operating in 13 distinct service areas; the clinic listed for the Northeast Florida service area is Mayo Clinic, Memory Disorder Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32224, (904) 953-7103: https://elderaffairs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-MDC-Map.pdf . Verified August 11, 2026.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care Program: age 65 and over and eligible for Medicaid, or age 18 and over and eligible for Medicaid by reason of a disability, plus a CARES determination of nursing home level of care; minimum covered services including adult companion, adult day care, assistive care services, assisted living facility services, attendant care, behavior management, caregiver training, case management, home accessibility adaptation, home delivered meals, homemaker, hospice, intermittent and skilled nursing, medical equipment and supplies, medication administration and management, nursing facility care, nutritional assessment and risk reduction, occupational, physical, respiratory and speech therapy, personal care, personal emergency response system, respite care and transportation; contact the local Aging and Disability Resource Center for waitlist information or the statewide Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER: https://elderaffairs.org/programs-and-services/statewide-medicaid-managed-care-long-term-care-program/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
The PACE Place (PACE Partners of Northeast Florida): North Florida's only all-inclusive senior care program through PACE; day center 5450 Ramona Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32205, Phone: 904.428.0400, TDD/TTY 800.955.8771, day center hours Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; eligibility requires being at least 55 years old, able to live safely in the community, approved by the state for nursing home care, and living in one of the service area ZIP codes 32065, 32073, 32202, 32204, 32205, 32206, 32207, 32208, 32209, 32210, 32211, 32212, 32216, 32217, 32218, 32219, 32220, 32221, 32222, 32223, 32224, 32225, 32244, 32246, 32254, 32257, 32258, 32277; no cost to join for those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, or Medicaid alone, with no deductible or copayment for approved care, a monthly fee for Medicare-only or neither, and private pay accepted; all care must go through the PACE network, with participants potentially liable for out-of-network costs other than emergency services: https://thepaceplace.org/ . Verified August 11, 2026.
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Monthly Report, February 2026 (updated 03/04/2026): the PACE Organization Data by County table lists Duval County with PACE Partners of NE Florida, status Operational, 94 enrollees present for the current month and 111 unique individuals served for the fiscal year to that point, and Clay County with the same organization at 0 enrollees; the Operational PACE Organizations table lists PACE Partners of NE FL, service area Duval and Clay, Operational, initial AHCA approval 6/27/2018, 250 slots approved and 250 slots funded; no other PACE organization is listed as present, undergoing review, or with an application at AHCA or CMS for Duval County; the report states PACE eligibility requires being 55 years of age or older, meeting the nursing facility level of care, residing in a designated service area, and being able to be safely served in the community: https://ahca.myflorida.com/content/download/28770/file/February%202026%20PACE%20Report.pdf . Verified August 11, 2026.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Parts C & D Oversight and Enforcement Group, Notice of Imposition of Sanction to Suspend Enrollment, May 17, 2024, to PACE Partners of Northeast Florida, Inc., contract H7469: effective May 18, 2024 CMS suspended enrollment of new Medicare beneficiaries following deficiencies discovered during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 audits and a 2024 determination that the organization lacked contracts with certain medical specialists: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/floridapacesanction05172024.pdf . Notice of Release of Imposition of Sanction, August 6, 2025: the organization attested that all violations forming the basis for the sanction were corrected as of March 31, 2025, CMS required a validation audit under 42 C.F.R. § 460.42(c), and "effective August 6th, 2025, the sanction is released from contract H7469, and PACE of NE Florida will return to a normal enrollment status," with CMS expecting continued post-sanction corrective action and monitoring: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/floridapacesanctionrelease08062025.pdf . Verified August 11, 2026.
Florida Department of Children and Families, public assistance programs: SNAP, Medicaid, and Temporary Cash Assistance, one application for all assistance programs, MyACCESS portal at https://myaccess.myflfamilies.com, customer call center (850) 300-4323: https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/public-assistance . Verified August 11, 2026.

Verified August 11, 2026. Program names, phone numbers, income limits, and deadlines change. Confirm directly with each program before you rely on it.

Ryan Riggins, NC Real Estate License #361546, eXp Realty. Riggins Strategic Solutions is an education and media company, not a real estate sales business. Not financial, tax, medical, or legal advice. Programs and contacts change, confirm directly before relying on them.