Richmond County, GA Senior Help Directory: Augusta Programs for Seniors and Families (2026)

Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Richmond 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 | CSRA Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging, the aging and disability resource line for the Augusta area covering Medicare counseling, home-delivered meals, in-home help, caregiver support, legal help, and transportation (706-210-2018, or the statewide aging line 1-866-552-4464) | Richmond County Tax Commissioner for property tax exemptions (706-821-2391)

Property tax relief (apply with the Richmond County Tax Commissioner, Room 117, Municipal Building, 530 Greene Street, Augusta, GA 30901; 706-821-2391)

Augusta and Richmond County share one consolidated government, so there is one set of homestead exemptions for the whole county. In Richmond County you file your homestead and senior exemptions with the Tax Commissioner, who checks eligibility and forwards the application to the Board of Tax Assessors for final approval. The deadline to have an exemption count for the current tax year is April 1. You must own and live in the home as your primary residence as of January 1 of the year you apply. For the senior and special exemptions, bring your prior-year federal and Georgia tax returns (or, if you do not file, income statements from Social Security, your bank, or your pension). Note that homestead exemptions do not remove separate fees such as solid waste and streetlights.

• Regular homestead exemption (S1): takes $5,000 off the county assessed value and $5,000 off the school assessed value for any Richmond County homeowner who lives in the home as a permanent resident, at any age. This is the base you need before you add a senior exemption.
• Age 62 and older with limited income (S3): if the net income of the applicant and spouse does not exceed $10,000, you get $5,000 off the county value plus $10,000 off school and school bond taxes.
• Age 65 and older (H2A), no income limit: $5,000 off the county value AND a full exemption from all school taxes. This is the big one for most seniors, and it has no income test.
• Age 65 and older with limited income (S4): if the net income of the applicant and spouse does not exceed $10,000, you get $10,000 off the county value, $4,000 off the county bond, and a full exemption from all school taxes.
• Disabled veterans and surviving spouses (S5): Georgia's disabled-veteran homestead exemption, $126,526 for 2026 (set by the state and adjusted each year), comes off the county, county bond, school, and school bond value for a veteran rated 100 percent service-connected disabled, and extends to an unremarried surviving spouse.
• The one move: call the Richmond County Tax Commissioner at 706-821-2391, or go to Room 117 of the Municipal Building at 530 Greene Street, and ask them to confirm your regular homestead exemption and every senior, disability, and veteran exemption you qualify for. File by April 1.

Food

• Home-delivered meals (Meals on Wheels) for homebound Richmond County residents are funded through the CSRA Area Agency on Aging using Older Americans Act money, prepared by a meal vendor, and delivered through local senior centers and volunteers. Most recipients are 60 and older, homebound, and unable to shop or cook. Call the CSRA AAA at 706-210-2018 to ask for a home-delivered meal assessment.
• Golden Harvest Food Bank is the regional food bank for Augusta and the Central Savannah River Area, founded in 1982 and serving Richmond County plus surrounding Georgia and South Carolina counties through a large network of partner pantries. It runs a senior food box program (a monthly box of shelf-stable food, roughly 18 to 20 pounds) for eligible low-income older adults. Find a pantry or the senior box at goldenharvest.org, or dial 211.
• SNAP (food stamps) is based on income, not age, so working families can qualify too. Apply online at Georgia Gateway (gateway.ga.gov), by phone at 1-877-423-4746, or through your Richmond County DFCS office.

Energy and utility help

• LIHEAP (the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) for Richmond County is run by CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. (CSRA EOA), the local community action agency. LIHEAP helps with home heating and cooling bills and with crisis (past-due or disconnection) situations, and seniors 65 and older often get an earlier application window when the heating season opens. Reach the CSRA EOA energy assistance office at 706-724-0701, or schedule at csraeoa.org. Applications are taken until funds run out each season.
• You can also find your energy-assistance agency through Georgia DFCS at dfcs.georgia.gov (search LIHEAP) or 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) may offer its own customer assistance for past-due accounts.

Medicare, Medicaid, prescriptions

• Georgia's SHIP program is Georgia SHIP / GeorgiaCares, delivered in the Augusta area through the CSRA Area Agency on Aging. It is free, unbiased one-on-one help with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap, enrollment, appeals, and fraud. Call the CSRA AAA at 706-210-2018 or the statewide line at 1-866-552-4464 (option 4). 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 Richmond 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 (706-210-2018) and Social Security (1-800-772-1213).
• Georgia has no general statewide drug-payment program for seniors, so use GeorgiaCares to apply for Extra Help and BenefitsCheckUp.org to find manufacturer and nonprofit patient assistance programs for specific medications.

Home repair and safety

• 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 delivered in Richmond County by CSRA EOA. Ask about weatherization at 706-724-0701 or csraeoa.org, or dial 211.
• The City of Augusta (Augusta-Richmond County) runs housing and community development programs, including owner-occupied housing rehabilitation help for income-eligible homeowners. Ask Augusta Housing and Community Development, or dial 211 for the current intake.
• Dial 211 for ramp-building and other accessibility-modification help from area nonprofits, and ask the CSRA AAA (706-210-2018) what minor home-repair or safety help they can connect you to.

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.
• CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority (CSRA EOA, csraeoa.org, energy line 706-724-0701) runs basic-needs, self-sufficiency, and energy programs across Richmond County.
• The Salvation Army of Augusta, St. Vincent de Paul, and area church ministries provide emergency rent, utility, and food assistance; 211 can route you to whichever has funds available.
• Your Richmond County DFCS office administers food, cash, and Medicaid programs; apply at gateway.ga.gov or 1-877-423-4746.

Transportation

• Augusta Transit operates the local ADA paratransit van service for people whose disability prevents them from using the regular fixed-route buses. You must apply and be certified first: the applicant completes Parts A and B and a healthcare professional completes Part C, then there is about a 21-day review. Call the Augusta Transit paratransit office at 706-821-1816 for an application and details (fixed-route bus information is at 706-821-1719).
• 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.
• Ask the CSRA AAA (706-210-2018) about any senior-center and human-services transportation available for older adults in Richmond County.

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.
• The Georgia Legal Services Program, Augusta Regional Office, provides free civil legal help to lower-income Georgians and to residents 60 and older across Richmond and the surrounding CSRA counties. Call the Augusta office at 706-721-2327, or the statewide intake line at 1-833-457-7529 (also reachable at 1-800-498-9469).
• The CSRA Area Agency on Aging (706-210-2018) runs the Elderly Legal Assistance Program for older adults and can refer you to the right legal aid program.

Caregiver support

• The CSRA Area Agency on Aging runs the Family Caregiver Support Program for the Augusta region: one-on-one support, respite, counseling, training, and help navigating services. Call 706-210-2018 or the statewide aging line 1-866-552-4464.
• The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is there any hour for dementia caregiving questions, and the CSRA AAA can connect caregivers to adult day and in-home respite in Richmond County.

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. The state passed enabling legislation and is working to launch PACE, but no site is open yet. 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 near Augusta, call the CSRA AAA (706-210-2018) or the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116).
• The main route to staying home in Richmond County today is Georgia 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. The CSRA AAA (706-210-2018) screens for these, and you can also ask your Richmond County DFCS office.
• The Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can help you compare programs. Home-delivered meals, in-home help, and paratransit rides also help an older adult stay in the home longer.

Frequently asked questions

My dad is 66 in Augusta and his tax bill keeps rising. What is the one call to make? Call the Richmond County Tax Commissioner at 706-821-2391 (Room 117, Municipal Building, 530 Greene Street) and ask them to confirm his regular homestead exemption AND his age-65 senior exemption (the H2A exemption), which takes $5,000 off the county value and exempts the home from all school tax with no income limit. If his income is low, ask about the enhanced version (S4), which takes even more off. File by April 1, and bring last year's tax return or Social Security and pension income statements.

Mom is homebound near Augusta and can't cook anymore. How do we get her meals? Call the CSRA Area Agency on Aging at 706-210-2018 and ask for a home-delivered meal (Meals on Wheels) assessment for Richmond County. If you need food sooner, find a pantry or the monthly senior food box through Golden Harvest Food Bank at goldenharvest.org, or dial 211.

My parent can't drive and needs rides to the doctor in Richmond County. What is available? If a disability keeps your parent from using regular Augusta Transit buses, apply for ADA paratransit by calling the Augusta Transit paratransit office at 706-821-1816 to get the application; there is about a 21-day review after a healthcare professional completes their part. Georgians with full Medicaid may also qualify for free non-emergency medical transportation to covered appointments.

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. The CSRA AAA (706-210-2018) screens for these, and the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can help you compare options.

Sources

• Richmond County Tax Commissioner, homestead and senior exemptions (Room 117, Municipal Building, 530 Greene Street, Augusta, GA 30901; 706-821-2391; S1 regular homestead $5,000 county and $5,000 school; S3 age-62 income-limited $5,000 county plus $10,000 school and school bond; H2A age-65 $5,000 county plus full school exemption, no income limit; S4 age-65 income-limited $10,000 county, $4,000 county bond, plus full school exemption; S5 disabled-veteran $126,526 for 2026; April 1 deadline; prior-year tax returns required): https://arctax.com/property/choosing-an-exemption/ and https://arctax.com/property/exemption-summary/
• Augusta-Richmond County homestead exemption explanation (application made to the Tax Commissioner and forwarded to the Board of Tax Assessors): https://www.augustaga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/762/Homestead-Exemption-Explanation and Augusta-Richmond County Board of Assessors https://augustarichmondtaxassessor.com/exemptions/homestead-exemptions/
• Georgia Department of Revenue, County Property Tax Facts, Richmond, and statewide homestead exemptions: https://dor.georgia.gov/county-property-tax-facts-richmond and https://dor.georgia.gov/property-tax-homestead-exemptions
• CSRA Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging / ADRC (3626 Walton Way Extension, Augusta, GA 30909; 706-210-2018; aging@csrarc.ga.gov; serves Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, Wilkes; GeorgiaCares SHIP, home-delivered meals, caregiver, legal, transportation): https://csrarc.ga.gov/area-agency-aging and https://csrarc.ga.gov/aging-services and https://aging.georgia.gov/locations/csra-area-agency-aging
• CSRA AAA home-delivered meals (Older Americans Act, prepared by a vendor and delivered through senior centers for Richmond and nearby counties): https://csrarc.ga.gov/aging-services
• Georgia SHIP / GeorgiaCares statewide line 1-866-552-4464 option 4: https://aging.georgia.gov/georgia-ship
• Golden Harvest Food Bank (regional food bank, founded 1982, serving Richmond plus surrounding GA and SC counties; senior food box): https://goldenharvest.org/ and https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank/golden-harvest-food-bank
• CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. (CSRA EOA), LIHEAP energy assistance and Weatherization (706-724-0701; csraeoa.org): https://www.csraeoa.org/programs/ and https://dca.georgia.gov/locations/csra-eoa
• Georgia DFCS, LIHEAP / energy assistance (404-657-3426): https://dfcs.georgia.gov/services/low-income-home-energy-assistance-program-liheap
• Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) Weatherization Assistance Program: https://gefa.georgia.gov/weatherization-assistance-program
• Augusta Transit ADA paratransit van service (application with Parts A/B by rider and Part C by a healthcare professional, about 21-day review; 706-821-1816; fixed route 706-821-1719): https://www.augustaga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1809 and https://www.augustaga.gov/243/AccessibilityADA
• 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
• Georgia Legal Services Program, Augusta Regional Office (706-721-2327; statewide intake 1-833-457-7529; serves Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, Wilkes): https://www.statesidelegal.org/georgia-legal-services-program-augusta and https://www.glsp.org/
• Georgia Medicaid (Georgia Gateway gateway.ga.gov, 1-877-423-4746) and Richmond County DFCS: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/how-apply and https://dhs.georgia.gov/locations/richmond-county-dfcs
• Georgia PACE status (enabling law passed 2024, RFP closed May 2025, no operating site yet) and Medicaid CCSP / SOURCE home and community based care: https://dch.georgia.gov/programs/program-all-inclusive-care-elderly-pace-updates
• Verified July 1, 2026.

Verified July 1, 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.