Fulton County, GA Senior Help Directory: Atlanta Programs for Seniors and Families (2026)

Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Fulton County, GA. 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: 211 | Empowerline, the Atlanta Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging (the metro Atlanta aging and disability resource line for Medicare counseling, meals, in-home help, caregiver support, and transportation; 404-463-3333) | Georgia's statewide aging and Medicare line, 1-866-552-4464

Property tax relief (apply with the Fulton County Board of Assessors, 404-612-6440 then choose Homestead; the Fulton County Tax Commissioner bills and collects)

Georgia is a county-driven state, and in Fulton County the senior exemptions are large and the savings are real. Two things to know up front: in Fulton you apply for homestead and senior exemptions through the Board of Assessors (fultonassessor.org), not the tax commissioner, and the deadline to have an exemption count for the current tax year is April 1. You can file year-round, but anything filed after April 1 starts the next year.

• Basic homestead exemption: any homeowner on their primary residence, no age or income limit, takes $30,000 off the assessed value for Fulton County taxes and $2,000 off for school taxes. This is the floor everyone should have.
• New Fulton senior school-tax exemption (started 2026): Fulton voters approved an added exemption from the Fulton County Schools portion of the tax bill for seniors on their primary residence, with NO income limit. Ages 65 to 69 get 25 percent of the home's assessed value exempted; age 70 and over gets 50 percent. If you are at least 65 as of January 1, the county says this is applied automatically (you do not have to file), as long as you have held a homestead exemption in the Fulton Schools area for 5 of the last 6 years.
• Other income-based Fulton senior exemptions: even with the automatic break above, the Board of Assessors encourages seniors to file an application if their adjusted gross income is $96,432 or less (2026 figure), because they may qualify for one or more additional, deeper county or school senior exemptions on top of the automatic one. Many of these turn on income after the Social Security and retirement-income exclusions, so do not assume you make too much, ask.
• City exemptions are separate: the City of Atlanta and the North Fulton cities (Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Union City, College Park, East Point, Hapeville, Fairburn, Palmetto, Chattahoochee Hills, South Fulton) each set their own homestead and senior exemptions on the city portion of the bill. When you call the Board of Assessors, ask them to confirm every exemption you qualify for across county, school, and city.
• Statewide pieces (smaller, income-tested) also exist: a $4,000 senior exemption (65+) and a school-tax exemption (62+), both with low income tests that exclude most Social Security and retirement income, a floating inflation-proof exemption (62+, income under $30,000), and a disabled-veteran exemption (about $121,812 in 2025). Ask the Board of Assessors to apply whichever helps most.
• The one move: call the Fulton County Board of Assessors at 404-612-6440 (choose the Homestead option), or read the current-year Homestead Exemption Guide at fultonassessor.org, and confirm before April 1 that every exemption you qualify for is on the property.

Food

• Meals On Wheels Atlanta delivers meals to homebound seniors 60 and older in central Fulton County, with a friendly visit and safety check, on a sliding scale from free to full price (no senior is turned away for inability to pay); call 404-351-3889.
• Senior Services North Fulton runs Meals on Wheels and senior-center meals for the northern part of the county (Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and nearby); call 770-993-1906.
• Fulton County Senior Services (the county department) funds home-delivered and group meals at multipurpose senior centers across the county; the fastest way in is Empowerline at 404-463-3333, which can assess an older adult for meals and in-home help.
• The Atlanta Community Food Bank supplies a large network of partner pantries across Fulton County and runs the Senior Box Program (Commodity Supplemental Food Program, or CSFP), a monthly box of nutritious staples for income-eligible seniors 60 and older. Find the pantry or senior-box site nearest you with the food-finder map at acfb.org/get-help/food-map, by calling 404-892-9822, or by dialing 211.
• SNAP (food stamps) is income-based, not age-based, so working families qualify too. Apply online at Georgia Gateway (gateway.ga.gov), by phone at 1-877-423-4746, or through your Fulton County DFCS office.

Energy and utility help

• LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) for Fulton County and the City of Atlanta is run by the Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority (FACAA), the local community action agency. LIHEAP helps with home heating and cooling costs and crisis (past-due or disconnection) situations, with priority for elderly and disabled households and families with young children. Seniors 65 and older often get an earlier application window for heating season. FACAA takes applications by appointment until funds run out; schedule at facaa.org or its online scheduler, and confirm the current intake phone before you go.
• You can also start a LIHEAP application or find your agency through Georgia DFCS at dfcs.georgia.gov (search LIHEAP) or by calling 404-657-3426, or dial 211.
• 211 is the fastest way to find a local crisis fund or church ministry with money for a past-due utility bill, and your utility (such as Georgia Power, Atlanta Gas Light through your marketer, or your city water department) may offer its own customer assistance for past-due accounts.

Medicare, Medicaid, prescriptions

• Georgia's SHIP program is Georgia SHIP, long known as GeorgiaCares, run by the Division of Aging Services. Free, unbiased one-on-one help with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap, enrollment, appeals, and fraud. Call 1-866-552-4464 and select option 4, or reach it locally through Empowerline at 404-463-3333. Start here before any Medicare decision.
• Medicaid in Georgia runs through the Division of Family and Children Services. Apply online at Georgia Gateway (gateway.ga.gov), by phone at 1-877-423-4746, or at your Fulton County DFCS office. Medicaid can help pay Medicare premiums and long-term-care costs for those who qualify.
• Medicare Savings Programs (help paying Part A and B premiums) and Extra Help / the Low-Income Subsidy (lower Part D drug costs) are screened and applied for through Georgia SHIP / GeorgiaCares (1-866-552-4464, option 4) and Social Security (1-800-772-1213).
• Georgia has no general statewide drug-payment program for seniors, so use Georgia SHIP to apply for Extra Help and BenefitsCheckUp.org to find manufacturer and nonprofit patient assistance programs for specific medications.

Home repair and safety

• The Fulton County Housing Rehabilitation Program (run through Community Development) helps eligible homeowners in the City of Atlanta, Fulton County, and unincorporated Fulton repair and remove health and safety hazards, including weatherization, accessibility fixes, electrical, HVAC, roof, plumbing, and water-heater work, with priority for households that include older adults or young children. Fulton County partners with Meals On Wheels Atlanta to deliver these home repairs, so Meals On Wheels Atlanta (404-351-3889) is a good first call, along with Fulton County Community Development.
• Fulton County Senior Services also runs a Minor Home Repair program tied to its senior services; ask Empowerline (404-463-3333).
• Georgia's Weatherization Assistance Program (free insulation, air sealing, and heating and cooling safety work for income-eligible households, with older adults served first) is funded through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) and delivered by local community action agencies; ask FACAA or dial 211 to find the Fulton intake.
• Atlanta Habitat for Humanity's Critical Home Repair program serves income-eligible homeowners in the City of Atlanta and Fulton County; ask 211 or Atlanta Habitat. Dial 211 for ramp-building and other accessibility-modification help from area nonprofits.

Rent, housing, emergency cash

• 211 is the fastest route to temporary rent and utility help near you and will point you to whichever local ministry or fund has money right now.
• The Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority (FACAA, facaa.org) runs basic-needs, self-sufficiency, and energy programs across Fulton County and the City of Atlanta.
• The Salvation Army of Metro Atlanta, St. Vincent de Paul Georgia, and area church ministries provide emergency rent, utility, and food assistance; 211 can route you to whichever has funds available.
• Your Fulton County DFCS office administers food, cash, and Medicaid programs; apply at gateway.ga.gov or 1-877-423-4746.

Transportation

• MARTA Mobility is the ADA paratransit service for people whose disability keeps them from using regular MARTA buses and trains. It covers the City of Atlanta and the parts of Fulton, DeKalb, and Clayton counties within three-quarters of a mile of a MARTA bus route or rail station. You must apply and be certified first: call the MARTA Mobility Eligibility office at 404-848-5389 to start. Once certified, book rides through the MARTA Mobility Reservation Office at 404-848-5000.
• Fulton County Senior Services provides rides for older adults to its multipurpose senior centers, group meals, and some programs; ask Empowerline (404-463-3333) what is available in your area.
• Georgians with full Medicaid and no other way to travel may qualify for free non-emergency medical transportation to covered appointments; ask your Medicaid plan or DFCS.

Legal help

• Georgia Senior Legal Aid (the Georgia Senior Legal Hotline) gives free legal advice, brief service, and referrals to any Georgian 60 and older and their families, on issues like powers of attorney, wills, Medicaid and public benefits, housing, consumer problems, and scams. Call 404-389-9992 or toll-free 1-888-257-9519.
• Atlanta Legal Aid Society provides free civil legal help to lower-income residents of metro Atlanta, including a strong elder-law practice; the Fulton County (downtown) office is at 404-524-5811, and you can apply online or through one of its area offices.
• Empowerline / the Atlanta Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging (404-463-3333) runs the Elderly Legal Assistance Program for older adults and can refer you to the right legal aid program; the Georgia Legal Services Program covers Georgians outside metro Atlanta.

Caregiver support

• Empowerline / the Atlanta Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging runs the Family Caregiver Support Program for the metro Atlanta region: one-on-one support, respite, counseling, training, and help navigating services. Call 404-463-3333.
• The home-delivered meal and senior-center programs (Meals On Wheels Atlanta 404-351-3889, Senior Services North Fulton 770-993-1906) give working family caregivers some relief. The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is there any hour for dementia caregiving questions.

Staying at home instead of a nursing home

• Georgia does not yet have an operating PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program, though the state is actively working to launch PACE and has named Fulton County as one of the first viability areas. PACE wraps all medical care, therapy, a day center, home care, and home-delivered meals into one program for people 55 and older who meet a nursing-home level of care but can live safely at home with help. To ask whether a PACE site has opened in metro Atlanta, call Empowerline (404-463-3333) or the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116).
• The main route to staying home in Fulton County today is Georgia's Medicaid home and community based care: the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and SOURCE provide in-home personal care, adult day health, home-delivered meals, and other supports for people who would otherwise need a nursing home. Empowerline (404-463-3333) screens for these, and you can also ask your Fulton County DFCS office.
• The Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can help you compare programs. Home-delivered meals, in-home help, and MARTA Mobility rides also help an older adult stay in the home longer.

Frequently asked questions

My mom is 72 in Atlanta and her property tax jumped. What is the one call to make? Call the Fulton County Board of Assessors at 404-612-6440 and choose the Homestead option, or read the current Homestead Exemption Guide at fultonassessor.org. If she is 65 or older on her primary residence, she should automatically get the new Fulton senior school-tax exemption (25 percent of the home's value off the Fulton Schools tax at 65 to 69, 50 percent at 70+, no income limit), but ask them to confirm it is on the property and to check whether she qualifies for additional income-based senior exemptions and any City of Atlanta senior break. The deadline to count for the current year is April 1.

Dad is homebound in Sandy Springs and can't cook anymore. How do we get him meals? In North Fulton, call Senior Services North Fulton at 770-993-1906 about Meals on Wheels. In central Fulton and the City of Atlanta, call Meals On Wheels Atlanta at 404-351-3889. Either way, Empowerline (404-463-3333) can assess him for home-delivered meals and other in-home help. If you need food sooner, find a pantry at acfb.org/get-help/food-map or by dialing 211.

My parent can't drive and needs rides to the doctor. What does Fulton County offer? If a disability keeps your parent from using regular MARTA, apply for MARTA Mobility paratransit by calling the eligibility office at 404-848-5389; once certified, book rides at 404-848-5000. It serves the City of Atlanta and parts of Fulton, DeKalb, and Clayton within three-quarters of a mile of a MARTA route or station. Fulton County Senior Services (through Empowerline, 404-463-3333) also offers rides to senior centers and programs.

We want to keep Mom at home but her care is getting complex, and there is no PACE in Georgia yet. What are the options? Georgia's PACE program is still being launched, so the main path today is Georgia Medicaid home and community based care: the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and SOURCE can bring in personal care, adult day health, home-delivered meals, and other in-home supports for someone who would otherwise need a nursing home. Empowerline (404-463-3333) screens for these, and the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can help you compare options.

Sources

• Fulton County Board of Assessors, Homestead Exemptions and how to apply (404-612-6440; basic exemption $30,000 county / $2,000 school; April 1 deadline; file at fultonassessor.org): https://fultonassessor.org/exemptions/ and https://fultoncountyga.gov/inside-fulton-county/fulton-county-departments/board-of-assessors/homestead-exemptions and https://fultonassessor.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2026/01/2026-Homestead-Exemption-Guide-final.pdf
• Fulton County 2026 New Senior Homestead Exemption (65 to 69 = 25 percent, 70+ = 50 percent of assessed value off Fulton Schools tax, automatic at 65+, no income limit; encouraged to file if AGI is $96,432 or less for other senior exemptions): https://fultonassessor.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/12/New-Senior-Exemptions-FAQs-FINAL.pdf and https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/News/2026/03/16/Postcards-Notify-Homeowners-of-New-Tax-Exemption
• Georgia Department of Revenue, statewide property-tax homestead exemptions: https://dor.georgia.gov/property-tax-homestead-exemptions
• Atlanta Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging / Empowerline (404-463-3333; 229 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303; ADRC, SHIP, meals, caregiver, legal, transportation): https://empowerline.org/about/ and https://atlantaregional.org/what-we-do/aging-services-and-resources/ and https://aging.georgia.gov/locations/atlanta-regional-commission-area-agency-aging
• Georgia SHIP / GeorgiaCares, 1-866-552-4464 option 4: https://aging.georgia.gov/georgia-ship
• Meals On Wheels Atlanta (404-351-3889; central Fulton, 60+; sliding scale): https://www.mowatl.org/ and https://www.findhelp.org/meals-on-wheels-atlanta--atlanta-ga--meal-services/5802499283877888?postal=30301
• Senior Services North Fulton, Meals on Wheels (770-993-1906): https://ssnorthfulton.org/senior-services/meals-on-wheels/
• Fulton County Senior Services, home-delivered meals: https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/inside-fulton-county/fulton-county-departments/senior-services/home-delivered-meals
• Atlanta Community Food Bank, food-finder map and CSFP Senior Box (404-892-9822): https://www.acfb.org/get-help/food-map/ and https://www.acfb.org/partner-resources/csfp-partner/
• Georgia Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for seniors 60+: https://dfcs.georgia.gov/services/food-commodity-programs/commodity-supplemental-food-program
• Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority (FACAA), LIHEAP for Fulton County and the City of Atlanta (apply by appointment; facaa.org): https://www.facaa.org/programs/liheap-2/ and https://facaaliheap.cascheduler.com/
• Georgia DFCS, LIHEAP / energy assistance (404-657-3426): https://dfcs.georgia.gov/services/low-income-home-energy-assistance-program-liheap and https://dfcs.georgia.gov/how-apply-energy-assistance
• Fulton County Housing Rehabilitation / Home Repair Services (City of Atlanta, Fulton, unincorporated Fulton; partners with Meals On Wheels Atlanta): https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/inside-fulton-county/fulton-county-departments/community-development/home-repair-services and https://fultoncountyga.gov/news/2023/06/02/home-rehabilitation-program-partners-with-meals-on-wheels-atlanta-to-help-seniors-with-home-repairs
• Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) Weatherization Assistance Program: https://gefa.georgia.gov/weatherization-assistance-program
• Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, Critical Home Repair: https://www.atlantahabitat.org/programs/critical-home-repair
• MARTA Mobility ADA paratransit (eligibility 404-848-5389; reservations 404-848-5000; Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, and City of Atlanta within 3/4 mile of a route or station): https://itsmarta.com/marta-mobility.aspx and https://itsmarta.com/marta-mobility-guide.aspx
• Georgia Senior Legal Aid / Senior Legal Hotline, 60+ statewide (404-389-9992 / 1-888-257-9519): https://www.georgialegalaid.org/organization/georgia-senior-legal-hotline and https://aging.georgia.gov/tools-resources/elderly-legal-assistance-program
• Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Fulton County / downtown office (404-524-5811): https://atlantalegalaid.org/get-help-2/ and https://www.womenslaw.org/find-help/ga/finding-lawyer/legal-assistance/atlanta-legal-aid-society-fulton-countydowntown
• Georgia Medicaid (Georgia Gateway gateway.ga.gov, 1-877-423-4746) and Fulton County DFCS: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/how-apply and https://dhs.georgia.gov/locations/fulton-county-dfcs
• Georgia PACE status (in development; Fulton named a viability area; not yet operating): https://dch.georgia.gov/programs/program-all-inclusive-care-elderly-pace-updates
• Verified June 29, 2026.

Verified June 29, 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.

UNVERIFIED: (1) In Fulton County, homestead and senior exemptions are applied for through the BOARD OF ASSESSORS (fultonassessor.org, 404-612-6440, choose Homestead), not the Tax Commissioner, which is the opposite of the general Georgia "apply with the county tax commissioner" rule; Code should confirm the Board of Assessors is the correct apply office and the 404-612-6440 Homestead extension, and that the Tax Commissioner (fultoncountytaxes.org) only bills and collects. (2) The 2026 New Fulton Senior school-tax exemption percentages (65 to 69 = 25 percent, 70+ = 50 percent of assessed value off the Fulton County Schools portion), the automatic application for those 65+ as of Jan 1, the 5-of-last-6-years homestead requirement, and the $96,432 AGI figure for additional income-based senior exemptions all came from fultonassessor.org FAQ/guide PDFs and county news this session; confirm current-year figures and that the automatic application still holds before publishing. (3) Basic homestead amounts ($30,000 off county assessed value, $2,000 off school) are from the Board of Assessors; confirm current-year. (4) City-level exemptions (City of Atlanta and the North Fulton cities) vary and were not each verified this session; the page routes families to the Board of Assessors rather than naming city figures, which is correct, but confirm the list of Fulton municipalities. (5) FACAA LIHEAP is the Fulton/City of Atlanta intake per facaa.org, but the specific intake phone numbers seen this session (470-437-4621 and 404-320-6715) and the appointment-window dates looked seasonal/possibly stale, so the page routes to facaa.org, DFCS (404-657-3426), and 211 instead of printing a single FACAA phone; confirm the current FACAA LIHEAP intake number before adding one. (6) Meals On Wheels Atlanta 404-351-3889 (central Fulton) and Senior Services North Fulton 770-993-1906 (North Fulton) are separate orgs covering different parts of the county; confirm both numbers and service areas, and that Fulton County Senior Services routes through Empowerline. (7) Atlanta Community Food Bank 404-892-9822 and the acfb.org food-map are verified this session; confirm the CSFP senior-box intake path for Fulton. (8) MARTA Mobility eligibility 404-848-5389 and reservations 404-848-5000 and the 3/4-mile, three-county-plus-Atlanta service area are from itsmarta.com; confirm current numbers and service description. (9) Georgia Senior Legal Hotline 404-389-9992 / 1-888-257-9519 and Atlanta Legal Aid Fulton office 404-524-5811 are from georgialegalaid.org and womenslaw.org; confirm. (10) Georgia has no operating PACE as of this session per GA DCH; confirm before publishing the "no operating PACE yet" statement, and confirm CCSP and SOURCE are still the current Medicaid home and community based care programs screened through Empowerline. (11) Fulton County DFCS has multiple offices; the page routes to gateway.ga.gov and 1-877-423-4746 rather than a single office address, confirm that is still the correct statewide apply path.