Prince William County, VA Senior Help Directory: Manassas and Woodbridge Programs for Seniors and Families (2026)

Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Prince William 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: Prince William Area Agency on Aging at 703-792-6374 (TTY 711), the tri-jurisdictional aging office for Prince William County, the City of Manassas, and the City of Manassas Park | Prince William County Department of Social Services Call Center at 703-792-7500 (Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) for benefits, food, and energy help | Prince William County Tax Administration, Real Estate Assessments Office, at 703-792-6780 for senior real estate tax relief

Property tax relief (apply with the Prince William County Real Estate Assessments Office, 703-792-6780)

Virginia's senior property-tax break is set locally by each county or city under state law, so the rules below are Prince William County's own (Prince William County Code, Chapter 26, Article V). The county administers this through its Real Estate Assessments Office in Tax Administration, not a "Commissioner of the Revenue" as many other Virginia localities do. One big Virginia quirk applies here: the City of Manassas and the City of Manassas Park are independent cities, not part of the county, so a resident inside those city limits applies to that city's tax office for its own separate senior program.

• Who qualifies: an owner who is age 65 or older as of December 31, 2026, or who is certified as totally and permanently disabled. Relief is prorated for those who turn 65 or become certified as disabled during 2026.
• Income limit (2026 program, based on 2025 income): gross household income from all sources may not exceed $123,903. The first $10,000 of income earned by any relative living in the household other than the owner or spouse is excluded, and for a permanently and totally disabled applicant the first $7,500 of disability compensation is excluded.
• Asset test: the combined net worth of the applicant and spouse may not exceed $400,000, not counting the home itself and up to 25 acres of the land it sits on.
• What it covers: qualifying owners may be granted relief from all or part of their real estate taxes, the personal property tax on one vehicle (not a leased vehicle or motorcycle), the vehicle registration/license fee, and the solid waste fee. The home must be owned and occupied as the applicant's sole dwelling.
• Monthly installment option: seniors and disabled owners can choose to pay real estate taxes in 12 equal monthly installments instead of two semiannual bills.
• Statewide disabled-veteran exemption: separately from the senior program, Virginia gives a 100% real estate tax exemption on the primary residence of a veteran with a 100% service-connected, permanent and total disability rating (and to some surviving spouses), with no income limit. Ask Prince William County Tax Administration about the disabled-veteran and surviving-spouse exemptions.
• Deadline: applications must be filed by April 15 each year (April 15, 2026 for the current cycle), and you must reapply every year. Applications go to the Real Estate Assessments Office, 4379 Ridgewood Center Drive, Suite 203, Prince William, VA 22192, or realestate@pwcgov.org.
• The one move: call the Real Estate Assessments Office at 703-792-6780 to confirm this year's income ceiling, the asset limit, and the documents to bring, and to request a first-time or renewal application. If you live inside the City of Manassas, call that city's Commissioner of the Revenue at 703-257-8298; in the City of Manassas Park, 703-335-8825 (renewals there are due June 30).

Food

• The Prince William Area Agency on Aging runs the local Home Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels) program: a noontime meal for homebound adults age 60 and older who cannot leave home to attend a group meal site and cannot shop or cook for themselves. A suggested donation of about $1.50 per meal is requested. To ask about qualifying, call the Area Agency on Aging at 703-792-6374 (TTY 711).
• ACTS (Action in Community Through Service) runs the main food pantry and emergency food help for eastern Prince William County (Dale City, Dumfries, Lake Ridge, Montclair, Occoquan, Quantico, Triangle, and Woodbridge), at 3901 ACTS Lane, Dumfries. Non-clients can receive an emergency bag of food, and enrolled residents can get pantry food once a month. ACTS also runs a 24-hour crisis Helpline. Find hours and enrollment at actspwc.org.
• SERVE, a program of Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS), runs the Hunger Resource Center for Prince William County, the City of Manassas, and the City of Manassas Park, at 10058 Dean Drive, Manassas. Food is provided to registered clients by appointment; call 571-748-2680 to schedule a new-client registration. Proof of residency in Prince William County, Manassas, or Manassas Park is required.
• 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 Prince William County Department of Social Services Call Center at 703-792-7500.
• To find the closest pantry or hot-meal site right now, dial 211.

Energy and utility help

• The Virginia Energy Assistance Program (EAP), run through the Department of Social Services, offers Fuel Assistance for winter heating, Crisis Assistance for heating emergencies, and Cooling Assistance for summer, each with an application window set every year (Fuel Assistance generally opens in mid-October). Apply online at CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov), by phone at 1-855-635-4370, or through the Prince William County Department of Social Services Call Center at 703-792-7500.
• For emergency help with a past-due electric or gas bill, ACTS (eastern county) and SERVE / NVFS (Manassas and western county) can screen for utility and rent help; Dominion Energy's EnergyShare fund helps households facing financial hardship (it is not income-based, with extra help for those 60 and older); dial 211 to reach a partner agency.
• 211 is the fastest way to find another local crisis fund or church ministry with money for a 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 Prince William Area Agency on Aging. Call the Area Agency on Aging at 703-792-6374 (TTY 711) to reach 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 the Prince William County Department of Social Services (703-792-7500).
• 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 (Area Agency on Aging, 703-792-6374), 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

• The Prince William County Office of Housing and Community Development runs the Neighborhood Housing Rehabilitation Program (NHRP) for lower-income homeowners in the county AND the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park: health and safety repairs, accessibility modifications, and energy-efficiency work, income limit 80 percent of area median. Call 703-492-2302 or 703-492-2301 (Ferlazzo Building, 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Suite 112, Woodbridge).
• Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity affiliates serving Prince William and Northern Virginia do free or low-cost safety repairs, grab bars, and wheelchair ramps for qualifying older homeowners; 211 or the Area Agency on Aging line can refer you.
• If the home is in a more rural part of the county (the western end near Nokesville, Haymarket, or Gainesville), 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

• ACTS (eastern county) and SERVE / NVFS (Manassas and western county) are the main nonprofits for emergency help with rent, utilities, and food, and can screen you for what has funds. ACTS also operates a 24-hour crisis Helpline (703-368-4141) and a family homeless-services program; for shelter and homeless services, call the Prince William coordinated-entry line at 703-792-3366.
• The Prince William County Office of Housing and Community Development administers emergency housing and rental assistance; ask the county or 211 how to apply.
• 211 is another fast route to temporary rent and utility help and will point you to the local nonprofit or ministry with money available now.
• For Medicaid, SNAP, and cash assistance (TANF), apply through CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov), 1-855-635-4370, or the Prince William County Department of Social Services (703-792-7500).

Transportation

• OmniRide Access is the ADA paratransit service (run by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission through OmniRide) for people who cannot use fixed-route buses because of a disability. Vans run within three-quarters of a mile of the OmniRide Local bus routes. In western Prince William, service runs Monday to Friday 5:20 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. and Saturday 6:05 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. (no Sunday); in eastern Prince William, weekdays 5:15 a.m. to 10:55 p.m. and weekends, Sunday included, 6:45 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. It is currently free (fares are slated to resume at $3.10 per trip), and you must be certified as eligible first and schedule rides in advance. Call OmniRide Customer Service at 703-730-6664.
• The Prince William Area Agency on Aging can help with senior transportation to meal sites, senior programs, and some medical trips; call 703-792-6374 to ask what is available in your part of the county.
• Dial 211 to find volunteer driver networks and other local ride help for older adults.

Legal help

• The Virginia Statewide Senior Legal Helpline, administered by the Virginia Poverty Law Center, gives free legal information, advice, and referral to any Virginian age 60 or older 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.
• Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV), Prince William Office, provides free civil legal help to eligible older, disabled, and lower-income residents on housing, elder law, public benefits, consumer, and family matters. The office is at 9240 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110; call 703-778-6800, with walk-in application hours on Wednesdays.
• The Prince William Area Agency on Aging (703-792-6374) can connect older adults to free legal counseling and benefits help through its aging-network programs.

Caregiver support

• The Prince William Area Agency on Aging 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 of any age with dementia. Reach it at 703-792-6374 (TTY 711).
• 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 Area Agency on Aging (703-792-6374) 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. No PACE program currently serves Prince William County, Manassas, or Manassas Park (the closest program, Cherry Blossom PACE in Alexandria, covers Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax zip codes only). Ask the Area Agency on Aging (703-792-6374), Virginia Medicaid / DMAS, or the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) whether that has changed; Virginia Medicaid's in-home waiver below is the main staying-home path here.
• Home-delivered meals, in-home help, and paratransit rides also help an older adult stay in the home longer.

Frequently asked questions

Mom is 66 in Prince William County on a fixed income. Can she lower her property taxes? Likely yes. The county gives real estate tax relief to owners 65 and older (or totally and permanently disabled) whose 2025 household income is at or under $123,903 and whose net worth (not counting the home and up to 25 acres) stays under $400,000. It can also cut the tax on one vehicle and the solid waste fee. Applications are due April 15 each year and must be renewed annually; call the Real Estate Assessments Office at 703-792-6780 to confirm this year's limits. If she lives inside the City of Manassas (703-257-8298) or City of Manassas Park (703-335-8825), she applies through that city instead.

Dad is homebound in Woodbridge and can't cook anymore. How do we get him meals? Call the Prince William Area Agency on Aging at 703-792-6374 about Home Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels) for homebound adults 60 and older. If he needs food sooner, ACTS in Dumfries runs the eastern-county food pantry and can give an emergency bag of food, and dialing 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 OmniRide bus, apply for OmniRide Access ADA paratransit (currently free) by calling 703-730-6664. The Area Agency on Aging (703-792-6374) can also help with senior transportation to meal sites and programs, and 211 can find volunteer driver help.

We want to keep Mom at home but her care is getting complex. What pays for in-home care? Virginia Medicaid's home and community-based waiver can bring personal care, adult day care, respite, and other in-home supports to someone who would otherwise need a nursing home. Apply for Medicaid at CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov) or Cover Virginia (1-855-242-8282), and call the Area Agency on Aging at 703-792-6374 to start a screening. No PACE program currently serves Prince William County, so the Medicaid waiver through the Area Agency on Aging screening is the main path.

Sources

• Prince William County Tax Administration, Elderly and Disabled Tax Relief (2026 program: age 65 by Dec 31, 2026 or total/permanent disability; 2025 gross household income ceiling $123,903 with $10,000 relative exclusion and $7,500 disability-compensation exclusion; $400,000 net-worth limit excluding home and up to 25 acres; covers real estate tax, one vehicle's personal property tax, vehicle license fee, and solid waste fee; Real Estate Assessments Office 703-792-6780; monthly installment option): https://www.pwcva.gov/department/tax-administration/elderly-and-disabled and Prince William County Code Chapter 26 Article V
• Prince William County Disabled Veterans real estate tax exemption: https://www.pwcva.gov/department/tax-administration/disabled-veterans
• Prince William Area Agency on Aging (tri-jurisdictional: Prince William County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park; 703-792-6374, TTY 711): https://www.pwcva.gov/department/area-agency-aging and https://www.pwcva.gov/department/area-agency-aging/about-us/
• Prince William Area Agency on Aging Nutrition Services / Home Delivered Meals (age 60+, homebound; suggested donation about $1.50/meal; 703-792-6374): https://www.pwcva.gov/department/area-agency-aging/nutrition-services
• ACTS (Action in Community Through Service), eastern Prince William food pantry and emergency assistance, 3901 ACTS Lane, Dumfries: https://actspwc.org/food-assistance/
• SERVE / Northern Virginia Family Service Hunger Resource Center, Manassas and western Prince William (10056 Dean Drive, Manassas; food pantry registration 571-748-2680; family shelter): https://www.nvfs.org/our-services/health-well-being/food-assistance/ and https://nvfs.org/our-places/nvfs-serve-campus/
• Prince William County Department of Social Services, Public Assistance and Energy Assistance (Call Center 703-792-7500; apply via CommonHelp or 1-855-635-4370): https://www.pwcva.gov/department/social-services/public-assistance-programs
• Virginia Energy Assistance Program and Cardinal Care Medicaid via CommonHelp and Cover Virginia (1-855-242-8282): https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/ and https://coverva.dmas.virginia.gov/
• OmniRide Access ADA paratransit (Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission / OmniRide; free; eligibility required; 703-730-6664): https://www.omniride.com/omniride-access-paratransit-service/
• Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP), statewide 1-800-552-3402, local via Prince William Area Agency on Aging: https://www.vda.virginia.gov/vicap.htm
• Virginia Statewide Senior Legal Helpline (Virginia Poverty Law Center; age 60+; 1-844-802-5910): https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/node/33/statewide-senior-legal-helpline
• Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV), Prince William Office, 9240 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110 (703-778-6800): https://lsnv.org/contact-us/prince-william-office/
• Virginia DMAS PACE program list (no site currently serves Prince William County): https://www.dmas.virginia.gov/for-providers/benefits-services-for-providers/long-term-care/programs-and-initiatives/program-of-all-inclusive-care/
• Verified July 5, 2026.

Verified July 5, 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.