Henrico County, VA Senior Help Directory: Richmond-Area Programs for Seniors and Families (2026)

Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Henrico County, VA. 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 | The Span Center (formerly Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging) at 804-343-3000, the aging agency for Henrico and the greater Richmond region | Henrico County Department of Social Services for benefits, food, and energy help (energy Enterprise Call Center 1-855-635-4370)

One important Virginia note up front: Henrico County wraps around the City of Richmond, but the City of Richmond is a separate independent city, not part of the county. If your parent's home has a Richmond mailing address inside the city limits, they apply to the City of Richmond for its own senior tax relief, not to Henrico County. Richmond's program is summarized at the bottom of the property tax section.

Property tax relief (apply with the Henrico County Finance Department, Revenue Division, 804-501-4263)

Virginia's senior property-tax break is set locally by each county or city under state law, so the rules below are Henrico County's own (Henrico County Code, Chapter 20). Henrico runs two related programs, and the Revenue Division will check you for both. You apply through the Finance Department, Revenue Division, not a "Commissioner of the Revenue" as some other Virginia localities call it.

REAP (Real Estate Advantage Program), the exemption:

• Who qualifies: an owner who is at least 65 years old, or is 100 percent permanently and totally disabled, as of December 31 of the prior year, who holds title to the home and occupies it as their sole dwelling.
• Income limit: the combined total income of the owner and spouse may not exceed $75,000, including Social Security. Total income is income before deductions. The income of any relatives living in the home is counted too, but the first $10,000 of each relative's income (other than a spouse) is excluded. If a nurse or family member is living in and assisting the owner, that helper's income is not counted.
• Asset test: the combined net worth of the owner, spouse, and any co-owner may not exceed $500,000 as of December 31. The home and up to ten acres of land it sits on are not counted. Cars, bank accounts, CDs, stocks and bonds, and life-insurance cash value are counted.
• What it gives: a real estate tax exemption of up to 100 percent of the tax, to a maximum of $3,200 in relief. (Income and net-worth limits above are the county's posted 2025 figures; confirm the current year's limits with the Revenue Division.)
• Deadline: applications are due by April 1. First-time filers and hardship cases are considered through December 31.
• If the owner must leave the home for an assisted living facility, hospice, an extended hospital stay, or a nursing home, the relief continues as long as the home is not sold or rented.

RECAP (Real Estate Cap Program), for those just over the REAP limits:

• If income or net worth is too high for REAP, the Revenue Division automatically checks RECAP, which places a cap on the real estate tax bill rather than an exemption. RECAP allows income up to $125,000 and net worth up to $750,000 (excluding the value of the home). It caps the tax bill at the amount you paid when you entered the program, so later assessment increases do not raise it. You cannot receive both; if you do not qualify for REAP, the office reviews you for RECAP.

How to apply and renew: call the Revenue Division at 804-501-4263 to request an application, or pick one up at the Western Government Center, 4301 East Parham Road, Room 135, Henrico, VA 23228, or the Eastern Government Center, 3820 Nine Mile Road, Henrico, VA 23273. After the first approved year you send a shorter certification form for the next two years, then complete a full application again in the fourth year.

Statewide disabled-veteran exemption: separately from REAP and RECAP, Virginia gives a 100 percent real estate tax exemption on the primary home of a veteran with a 100 percent service-connected, permanent and total disability rating (and to some surviving spouses), with no income limit. Ask the Revenue Division about the disabled-veteran and surviving-spouse exemptions.

The one move: call the Revenue Division at 804-501-4263 to confirm this year's income and net-worth limits, the documents to bring, and your deadline, and to have them check you for both REAP and RECAP.

If the home is inside the City of Richmond (not Henrico): the City of Richmond runs its own program, the Real Estate Tax Relief for Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities (OAPD). Richmond lets a qualifying owner (65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled) choose either an exemption or a freeze: the income cap is $70,000 for the exemption and $125,000 for the freeze, with net-worth limits of $450,000 (exemption) and $750,000 (freeze), excluding the home and one acre. The exemption is tiered by income: 100 percent relief up to $30,000 of income, then 75, 50, and 25 percent bands up to the $70,000 cap. Richmond encourages complete applications by September 30 so the relief lands on the next bill, and the final filing deadline is December 31. Apply through the City of Richmond Department of Finance, Real Estate Unit, City Hall, 900 E. Broad Street, Room 103, or the City's Office of Aging and Disability Services, 7945 Forest Hill Avenue; general Finance line 804-646-7000.

Food

• FeedMore runs Meals on Wheels for homebound older and disabled adults across central Virginia, including Henrico County. FeedMore also operates the Central Virginia Food Bank network of pantries. To ask about home-delivered meals, call FeedMore Meals on Wheels at 804-822-4113; the main FeedMore number is 804-521-2500 (8020 Villa Park Drive, Richmond, VA 23228). Note that demand is high and FeedMore is currently placing new Meals on Wheels applicants (age 60 and older) on a waitlist, so call early and ask about interim options. The Span Center (804-343-3000) can also screen an older adult for home-delivered meals.
• To find the closest food pantry or hot-meal site, call the FeedMore Help Line at 804-237-8617 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), or dial 211.
• SNAP (food stamps) is based on income, not age. Apply online at the Virginia benefits portal CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov), by phone at 1-855-635-4370, or through the Henrico County Department of Social Services.

Energy and utility help

• The Virginia Energy Assistance Program (EAP), run through the Department of Social Services, has three parts: Fuel Assistance for winter heating (application window opens in the fall), Crisis Assistance for heating emergencies (accepted November 1 through March 15 for equipment and deposits; help with a fuel or utility bill crisis runs January 1 through March 15), and Cooling Assistance for summer (accepted June 15 through August 15). Apply online at CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov), by phone through the Enterprise Call Center at 1-855-635-4370, or through Henrico County Social Services (henrico.gov/dss).
• Dominion Energy's EnergyShare fund helps income-qualified households with heating and cooling costs.
• 211 is the fastest way to find a local crisis fund or church ministry with money for a past-due utility bill.

Medicare, Medicaid, prescriptions

• Virginia's SHIP is VICAP (the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program): free, unbiased, confidential help with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap, enrollment, appeals, and fraud, delivered locally through The Span Center. Call The Span Center at 804-343-3000 for local VICAP counseling, or the statewide VICAP line at 1-800-552-3402. Start here before any Medicare decision.
• Medicaid in Virginia is called Cardinal Care and includes long-term-care coverage and the programs that help pay Medicare costs. Apply online at CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov), by phone through Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282, or through Henrico County Social Services.
• 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 VICAP (The Span Center, 804-343-3000), Social Security (1-800-772-1213), and CommonHelp.
• For medications, ask VICAP about Extra Help, and use BenefitsCheckUp.org to find manufacturer and nonprofit patient-assistance programs for specific drugs. Virginia does not run a general statewide senior drug program.

Home repair and safety

• project:HOMES (804-233-2827) (formerly ElderHomes), a Richmond-based nonprofit, is the main local source for senior home repair and safety work. Its Home Rehabilitation program does moderate-to-major rehab and emergency repairs so owners can age in place, and its accessibility work installs wheelchair ramps, hand railings, grab bars, ADA toilets, and wider doorways. Its Weatherization and Energy Conservation program serves Henrico County (along with the City of Richmond and nearby counties), and its volunteer Renew Crew builds ramps and makes repairs for at-risk homeowners. Find current programs and intake at projecthomes.org, or dial 211 for a referral.
• Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity affiliates serving the Richmond region also do free or low-cost safety repairs, grab bars, and ramps for qualifying older homeowners; 211 or The Span Center (804-343-3000) can refer you.
• If the home is in a more rural part of Henrico or a neighboring rural county, the USDA Section 504 Home Repair program offers low-interest repair loans, and grants for owners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, to fix health and safety hazards. Ask USDA Rural Development in Virginia or dial 211.

Rent, housing, emergency cash

• 211 is the fastest route to emergency help with rent and utilities; it will point you to the local nonprofit, community action agency, or church ministry with money available now.
• Henrico County Department of Social Services can screen for benefits and emergency programs; The Salvation Army of Central Virginia and other Richmond-area charities also run emergency assistance.
• project:HOMES (projecthomes.org) can help a lower-income owner keep the home livable through repair and weatherization.
• For Medicaid, SNAP, and cash assistance (TANF), apply through CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov), 1-855-635-4370, or Henrico County Social Services.

Transportation

• GRTC's CARE service is the ADA paratransit for the Richmond region, providing curb-to-curb rides to riders whose disability keeps them from using the regular fixed-route buses. CARE serves the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and parts of Chesterfield County. Eligibility is based on functional ability, not a specific diagnosis or age. To get certified or ask about a CARE ID, call GRTC's Eligibility Coordinator at 804-358-3871, extension 434; to book trips once certified, call the reservation line at 804-782-2273.
• The Span Center (804-343-3000) can help with senior transportation to meal sites, medical trips, and programs, and Henrico County's transportation page (henrico.gov/works/transportation/transit) lists local options.
• Dial 211 to find volunteer driver networks and other ride help for older adults.

Legal help

• The Virginia Statewide Senior Legal Helpline, run by the Virginia Poverty Law Center, gives free legal information, advice, and referral to any Virginian age 60 or older, with no income limit, on issues like long-term care, public benefits (Medicaid, Medicare, SSI, Social Security), guardianship and alternatives, financial exploitation, abuse and neglect, and consumer problems. Call 1-844-802-5910.
• The Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS) provides free civil (non-criminal) legal help to qualifying lower-income residents of Henrico and the Richmond area on housing, public benefits, consumer, and elder-law matters. The Richmond office is at 115 S. 15th Street, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23219; call 804-648-1012 (toll-free 1-800-868-1012).
• The Span Center (804-343-3000) can connect older adults to free legal counseling and benefits help through its aging-network programs.

Caregiver support

• The Span Center runs a Family Caregiver Support Program: information and one-on-one support, caregiver education, and respite (a break for the caregiver) for people caring for an adult 60 or older, or for a person with dementia. Reach it at 804-343-3000.
• The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is there any hour for dementia caregiving questions, and 211 can point you to local support groups.

Staying at home instead of a nursing home

• Virginia Medicaid pays for in-home care (personal care, adult day care, respite, and other supports) through its home and community-based services waiver for older adults and people with disabilities who meet a nursing-home level of care but can live safely at home. Apply for Medicaid through CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov) or Cover Virginia (1-855-242-8282), and ask The Span Center (804-343-3000) or the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) how to start a screening.
• 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. InnovAge Virginia PACE operates a Richmond center that serves Henrico and the surrounding counties. Ask about enrollment and eligibility at the Richmond center's line, 804-464-7890 (InnovAge general line 1-866-261-2954, TTY 711), or have The Span Center or Virginia Medicaid / DMAS confirm current details.
• Home-delivered meals, in-home help, and paratransit rides also help an older adult stay in the home longer.

Frequently asked questions

Mom is 68 in Henrico on a fixed income. Can she lower her property taxes? Likely yes. Henrico's Real Estate Advantage Program (REAP) gives up to $3,200 in real estate tax relief to owners 65 and older (or 100 percent permanently and totally disabled) whose combined income is $75,000 or less and whose net worth (not counting the home and up to ten acres) stays under $500,000. If she is a little over those limits, the Real Estate Cap Program (RECAP) can still cap her tax bill at higher income and net-worth ceilings. Call the Revenue Division at 804-501-4263 by April 1, and they will check her for both.

Mom's house has a Richmond address. Does she still apply to Henrico? Not if the home is inside the City of Richmond limits. Henrico County and the City of Richmond are separate. A city home applies to the City of Richmond's OAPD tax-relief program (Finance, 804-646-7000), not to Henrico. If you are not sure which side of the line the home is on, the Henrico Revenue Division (804-501-4263) or the city Finance office can tell you by address.

Dad is homebound in Henrico and can't cook anymore. How do we get him meals? Call FeedMore Meals on Wheels at 804-822-4113 about home-delivered meals for homebound older and disabled adults; The Span Center (804-343-3000) can also help start a screening. If he needs food sooner, the FeedMore Help Line (804-237-8617) or 211 will find the nearest pantry.

My parent can't drive and needs rides to the doctor. What is available? If a disability keeps your parent from riding a regular GRTC bus, apply for GRTC CARE ADA paratransit by calling the Eligibility Coordinator at 804-358-3871, extension 434; once certified, book rides at 804-782-2273. The Span Center (804-343-3000) can also help with senior transportation, and 211 can find volunteer driver help.

Sources

• Henrico County Real Estate Advantage Program (REAP): age 65+ or 100 percent permanently and totally disabled as of Dec 31 prior year; income limit $75,000 including Social Security (first $10,000 of each relative's income excluded); net worth limit $500,000 excluding home and up to 10 acres; exemption up to 100 percent to a maximum of $3,200; deadline April 1 (first-time and hardship through Dec 31); Revenue Division 804-501-4263; Western Government Center 4301 East Parham Road Room 135 and Eastern Government Center 3820 Nine Mile Road: https://henrico.gov/services/real-estate-advantage-program/
• Henrico County Real Estate Cap Program (RECAP): income up to $125,000, net worth up to $750,000, caps the real estate tax bill: https://henrico.gov/services/recap-program/
• City of Richmond Real Estate Tax Relief for Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities (OAPD): exemption income cap $70,000, freeze income cap $125,000, tiered relief 100/75/50/25 percent by income band, net worth $450,000 exemption / $750,000 freeze, choose exemption or freeze, encouraged by Sept 30 with a Dec 31 final deadline, Finance 804-646-7000: https://www.rva.gov/finance/oapd-relief
• The Span Center (formerly Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging), 804-343-3000, serving the City of Richmond and the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, and Powhatan: https://spancenter.org/get-help/
• FeedMore Meals on Wheels (804-822-4113) and FeedMore Help Line (804-237-8617), 8020 Villa Park Drive, Richmond, VA 23228, main 804-521-2500: https://feedmore.org/meals-on-wheels/ and https://feedmore.org/contact-us/
• Virginia Energy Assistance Program via Henrico County Social Services and CommonHelp (Enterprise Call Center 1-855-635-4370; Crisis Nov 1 to Mar 15 (fuel-bill crisis Jan 1 to Mar 15), Cooling Jun 15 to Aug 15): https://henrico.gov/dss/ and https://www.dss.virginia.gov/relief/ea/
• Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP), statewide 1-800-552-3402, local via The Span Center: https://www.vda.virginia.gov/vicap.htm
• Cardinal Care Medicaid via CommonHelp and Cover Virginia (1-855-242-8282): https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/ and https://coverva.dmas.virginia.gov/
• project:HOMES (home rehabilitation, accessibility ramps and grab bars, weatherization serving Henrico): https://www.projecthomes.org/
• GRTC CARE ADA paratransit (City of Richmond, Henrico, parts of Chesterfield; Eligibility Coordinator 804-358-3871 ext. 434; reservations 804-782-2273): https://www.ridegrtc.com/grtc-services/care-paratransit/
• Virginia Statewide Senior Legal Helpline (Virginia Poverty Law Center; age 60+, no income limit; 1-844-802-5910): https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/node/33/statewide-senior-legal-helpline
• Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS), Richmond office, 115 S. 15th Street, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23219 (804-648-1012): https://cvlas.org/contact/
• InnovAge Virginia PACE (Richmond center serving Henrico; 55+, nursing-home level of care; 804-464-7890, general line 1-866-261-2954): https://www.innovage.com/locations/virginia/richmond and Virginia DMAS PACE overview https://dmas.virginia.gov/for-members/benefits-and-services/other-programs-and-guidelines/pace/
• Verified July 6, 2026.

Verified July 6, 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.