By Ryan Riggins, Riggins Strategic Solutions. NC Real Estate License #361546, eXp Realty.
Last updated June 3, 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. I am not a financial advisor and not an attorney. 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 Winston-Salem or anywhere in Forsyth 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.
- Senior Services Inc.: the Winston-Salem and Forsyth hub for anyone 60+. 336-724-2040. Meals, adult day care, in-home help, caregiver support, and a Help Line for resource referrals.
- Forsyth County DSS: Adult Intake 336-703-3501. Energy assistance, food benefits, Medicaid.
Property tax relief
North Carolina's senior tax programs are administered by the Forsyth County Tax Administration, 336-703-2300. They lower the value both the county and the City of Winston-Salem tax, so they cut the whole bill.
- Homestead Exclusion: greater of $25,000 or 50% off taxable value. 2026 income limit $38,800. Age 65+ or totally and permanently disabled. Deadline June 1.
- Circuit Breaker: caps tax at 4-5% of income, limit $58,200. CAUTION: it's a deferral, the unpaid difference becomes a lien at 6% interest, due when the home is sold or the owner passes. Understand it before you sign.
- Disabled Veteran Exclusion: $45,000 off, no income limit, no age requirement.
These are statewide programs, so for the deeper walk-through of how each one works (and the Circuit Breaker lien trap in particular), see our full guide to NC senior property tax relief. Just use the Forsyth County Tax Administration number above instead of the Guilford one.
Food
- Meals on Wheels for homebound seniors 60+ through Senior Services Inc.: 336-725-0907.
- SNAP (food stamps) through Forsyth County DSS. Income-based, working families qualify too.
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC (headquartered in Winston-Salem) connects you to hundreds of pantries and meal programs: 336-744-3456.
Heating, cooling, and utility bills
- LIEAP (one-time annual heating payment) and the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) for heating or cooling emergencies, through Forsyth County DSS Utility Assistance: 336-703-3800. Seniors 60+ and disabled adults get a priority sign-up window.
- Crisis Control Ministry: rent/mortgage, utilities, and heating fuel help: 336-748-0217.
Medicare, Medicaid, and prescriptions
- SHIIP free, unbiased Medicare counseling: 1-855-408-1212.
- Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy: apply through DSS or SHIIP.
- NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy for uninsured residents under the income limit: 1-866-331-1348.
Home repairs and safety
- USDA Section 504 grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62+ (eligible rural areas), through USDA Rural Development.
- PTRC Weatherization: 336-904-0300.
- Crisis Control Ministry also does small home modifications for residents 50+: 336-748-0217.
Rent, housing, and emergency cash
- Crisis Control Ministry: 336-748-0217.
- NC 211 for the fastest route to temporary rent and utility help.
Transportation
- WSTA Trans-AID: shared-ride paratransit for older adults and people with disabilities in Winston-Salem and Forsyth: 336-727-2000.
Legal help
- Legal Aid of NC, Winston-Salem office, and its Senior Law Project (free civil legal help for anyone 60+) for eviction, foreclosure, benefits, and scams. Serves Forsyth plus Davie, Stokes, Surry, Iredell, and Yadkin.
Caregiver support
- Senior Services Inc. offers caregiver education and support, plus the NC Family Caregiver Support Program. Start at the Help Line: 336-724-2040.
Staying at home instead of a nursing home
- PACE of the Triad (West) in Winston-Salem coordinates a senior's full medical care, primary care, day program, therapy, and transportation, so people who'd otherwise need a nursing home can stay home. Serves Forsyth and surrounding counties: 336-550-4040.
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.
If this helped, pass it to a neighbor or a church group. The only reason these programs go unused is that nobody shares the list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I start finding senior help in Forsyth County?
Start with three numbers. NC 211 (dial 2-1-1) is the free 24/7 line that routes you to rent, utility, food, and medical help. Senior Services Inc. at 336-724-2040 is the Winston-Salem and Forsyth hub for anyone 60 and older. Forsyth County DSS Adult Intake at 336-703-3501 is the front door for energy assistance, food benefits, and Medicaid.
How do seniors in Winston-Salem get help with heating and cooling bills?
Two programs run through Forsyth County DSS Utility Assistance at 336-703-3800: LIEAP, a one-time annual heating payment, and the Crisis Intervention Program for a heating or cooling emergency. Seniors 60 and older and disabled adults get a priority sign-up window. Crisis Control Ministry at 336-748-0217 also helps with utilities and heating fuel.
Is there free prescription help in Forsyth County?
Yes. NC MedAssist runs a free pharmacy program that mails medications to uninsured North Carolina residents under the income limit. Call 1-866-331-1348. For Medicare drug costs, SHIIP offers free counseling at 1-855-408-1212, and the Extra Help program lowers Part D costs for those who qualify.
Can a Forsyth County senior get full medical care and still live at home?
Yes. PACE of the Triad West in Winston-Salem coordinates a senior's entire medical care, including primary care, a day program, therapy, personal care, and transportation, so someone who would otherwise qualify for a nursing home can keep living at home. Call 336-550-4040.
What property tax relief is available to seniors in Forsyth County?
The same statewide North Carolina programs apply, administered locally by Forsyth County Tax Administration at 336-703-2300: the Homestead Exclusion (2026 income limit $38,800), the Circuit Breaker (which is a deferral with a 6% lien, so understand it before you sign), and the Disabled Veteran Exclusion ($45,000 off with no income limit). The deadline is June 1.
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.
