Where do I start finding senior help in Shelby County, TN?

Start with three front doors. Tennessee 211 (dial 2-1-1) is the free 24/7 line that routes you to rent, utility, food, and medical help. The Aging Commission of the Mid-South at 901-222-4111 (or 1-866-836-6678) is the Memphis-area aging line and the single point of entry for home-delivered meals, in-home help, caregiver support, and CHOICES screening. For property tax relief and the senior tax freeze, the Shelby County Trustee is at 901-222-0200.

What property tax relief is available to seniors in Memphis and Shelby County?

Two programs run through the Shelby County Trustee (901-222-0200): the state Property Tax Relief rebate (owners 65 or older or disabled, 2024 combined income $37,530 or less, and Shelby County matches the state credit) and the Property Tax Freeze (owners 65 and older, 2024 income $61,920 or less). Big local quirk: the Trustee only handles unincorporated Shelby County plus Arlington, Bartlett, Lakeland, and Millington. Homeowners inside the City of Memphis, Germantown, or Collierville must ALSO apply with their city for the city portion. City of Memphis Treasury is 901-522-1111, and its deadline is different from the county's April 5 date.

How do older adults in Shelby County get meals?

Call the Aging Commission of the Mid-South at 901-222-4111. It is the single point of entry that screens seniors 60 and older for MIFA Meals on Wheels home-delivered meals. For groceries, Mid-South Food Bank (901-527-0841, midsouthfoodbank.org/find-food) runs a pantry network and senior grocery boxes, and the Shelby County Health Department (901-222-9750) takes CSFP monthly food-box applications for residents 60 and older.

Shelby County, TN Senior Help Directory: Memphis Programs for Seniors and Families (2026)

Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Shelby County, TN. 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 | Aging Commission of the Mid-South, the Memphis-area Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD), the single starting point for home-delivered meals, in-home help, Medicare counseling, caregiver support, and CHOICES screening (901-222-4111 or toll-free 1-866-836-6678, TTY 711) | Shelby County Trustee for senior property tax relief and freeze (901-222-0200)

Property tax relief (apply with the Shelby County Trustee, P.O. Box 2751, Memphis, TN 38101, downtown Memphis office; 901-222-0200)

Tennessee runs two separate senior property-tax programs, both handled locally by the Shelby County Trustee for taxpayers in unincorporated Shelby County and the towns of Arlington, Bartlett, Lakeland, and Millington. Important local quirk: the Shelby County Trustee does NOT handle relief for the City of Memphis, the City of Germantown, or the Town of Collierville. Those cities run their own senior tax relief with their own deadlines, so a Memphis city homeowner has to apply both with the Trustee (for the county portion) and with the City of Memphis (for the city portion). Bring proof of age, proof the home is your primary residence, and income records for all owners and any spouse.

Tennessee Property Tax Relief Program (state-funded rebate): for homeowners age 65 and older, or those totally and permanently disabled, who use the home as their primary residence. The state pays all or part of the taxes on the first part of the home's value, and the credit is a rebate that does not have to be paid back. The combined-income limit for elderly and disabled applicants is $37,530 (all owners and any spouse). For the 2025 tax year the maximum Shelby County credit was $219.91 for elderly and disabled homeowners, with higher credits and no income limit for disabled veterans, their widow(er)s, and surviving spouses of a soldier killed in action ($1,176.88 in Shelby County). Tax Relief benefits are available for both city and county taxes, and Shelby County matches the state credit up to your total tax amount, roughly doubling the benefit. Ask the Trustee about the $75 wheel tax rebate too (2024 income at or under $37,666). Deadline: signed applications for Shelby County, Arlington, Bartlett, Lakeland, and Millington had to be postmarked by April 5, 2026 for the 2025 tax year.
Tennessee Property Tax Freeze Program: for homeowners age 65 and older, this freezes the dollar amount of tax on your primary residence at the amount owed the year you first qualify, so later rate increases will not raise it. The Shelby County income limit for the freeze is $61,920 (2024 combined income for all owners and any spouse), much higher than the relief limit, so many middle-income seniors qualify. Deadline for the 2025 tax year was April 5, 2026 for all entities except the City of Memphis.
City of Memphis, City of Germantown, and Town of Collierville homeowners: these cities administer their own tax relief. The City of Memphis handles its own senior tax relief through City of Memphis Treasury (memphistn.gov/treasury), and its application deadline for the 2025 city tax year was October 6, 2025, a different date than the county deadline. Call City of Memphis Treasury at 901-522-1111 (125 N Main Street, Suite 301) to confirm the current program and deadline.
The one move: call the Shelby County Trustee at 901-222-0200 and ask them to confirm which programs you qualify for (Property Tax Relief rebate and the Property Tax Freeze), the current Shelby County freeze income limit, the documents to bring, and this year's exact deadline. If you live inside Memphis, Germantown, or Collierville, also ask that city about its separate city tax relief.

Food

MIFA Meals on Wheels (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association) delivers nutritious lunches to homebound adults 60 and older who are frail, homebound, or disabled across Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, and Lauderdale counties, and runs congregate meal sites. To be screened for home-delivered meals, call the Aging Commission of the Mid-South Information and Assistance line at 901-222-4111 (the Aging Commission is the single point of entry for publicly funded in-home meals). Learn more at mifa.org/seniors.
The Aging Commission of the Mid-South is the front door for home-delivered meals, homemaker help, and personal care. Call 901-222-4111 or 1-866-836-6678 to ask for a meal assessment.
Mid-South Food Bank is the regional food bank at 3865 S. Perkins Road, Memphis, TN 38118 (901-527-0841). It supplies a large network of partner pantries and runs a Senior Nutrition Program of grocery boxes chosen for senior dietary needs (low or no-sodium, sugar-free). Find a pantry at midsouthfoodbank.org/find-food or by dialing 211.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a monthly box of nutritious USDA food for income-eligible residents age 60 and older, is run locally by the Shelby County Health Department. Call the Shelby County Health Department CSFP Program at 901-222-9750, or apply in person at 1020 South Bellevue, Memphis, TN 38106. The program is popular and sometimes at capacity, so ask about the current waitlist.
SNAP (food stamps) is based on income, not age, so households of any age can qualify. Apply through TennCare Connect / Tennessee Department of Human Services online at tn.gov, or call 1-866-311-4287 to find your local DHS office.

Energy and utility help

LIHEAP (the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) for Shelby County is run by the Shelby County Community Services Agency (CSA), the local community action agency, at 1188 Minna Place, Memphis, TN 38104. LIHEAP helps pay heating and cooling energy costs, with Crisis Assistance for households that have an active utility account and a shut-off notice (priority goes to households with a senior, young child, disability, or emergency). Seniors 60 and older who need help completing the application can call the CSA Call Center at 901-222-4200. Applications are taken online only, through the THDA SmartSimple portal (thda.smartsimple.us), in monthly intake windows. Seniors 60 and older who cannot complete the online form can call the CSA Call Center at 901-222-4200 for application help.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) offers its own customer assistance for past-due accounts (including the Plus-1 emergency fund and payment plans). Ask MLGW about utility assistance at mlgw.com/utilityassistance.
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

Tennessee's SHIP program is TN SHIP (the State Health Insurance Assistance Program), delivered locally through the Aging Commission of the Mid-South. It is free, unbiased one-on-one help with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap, enrollment, appeals, and fraud. Call TN SHIP statewide at 1-877-801-0044 or the Aging Commission at 901-222-4111. Start here before any Medicare decision.
Medicaid in Tennessee is TennCare. Apply online at TennCareConnect.tn.gov or by phone at 1-855-259-0701 (TTY/Tennessee Relay 1-800-848-0298). TennCare 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 TN SHIP (1-877-801-0044) and Social Security (1-800-772-1213).
Tennessee has no broad statewide drug-payment program for general seniors, so use TN SHIP to apply for Extra Help and BenefitsCheckUp.org to find manufacturer and nonprofit patient assistance programs for specific medications.

Home repair and safety

Memphis Habitat for Humanity's Aging In Place Program helps low-income homeowners age 62 and older inside the Memphis city limits with wheelchair ramps, grab bars, and critical repairs. Applications open in announced call-in windows through the program hotline at 901-322-3500 (the program pauses between windows, so ask when the next one opens), and income limits apply. Learn more at memphishabitat.com/aging-in-place-program.
Weatherization (free insulation, air sealing, and heating and cooling tune-ups for income-eligible households) for Shelby County is administered by the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development. See the Memphis Weatherization Assistance Program at memphis-wap.org.
United Housing, Inc. (uhinc.org) provides home rehabilitation and repair help for lower-income homeowners in the Memphis region.
Dial 211 or call the Aging Commission of the Mid-South (901-222-4111) to be connected to other ramp-building and accessibility-modification help, and ask about THDA's emergency home-repair help for older homeowners.

Rent, housing, emergency cash

MIFA (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association) provides emergency assistance to Memphis and Shelby County households in crisis, including help for those facing eviction or homelessness. Apply for assistance at mifa.org/applyonline or dial 211 to be routed.
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 Shelby County Community Services Agency (901-222-4200) runs energy and basic-needs programs for income-eligible county residents.
The Salvation Army of Memphis, St. Vincent de Paul, and area church ministries provide emergency rent, utility, and food assistance; 211 can route you to whichever has funds available.
For Medicaid, food, and cash programs, apply through TennCare Connect (1-855-259-0701) or the Tennessee Department of Human Services (1-866-311-4287).

Transportation

MATAplus is the ADA paratransit service of the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) for people whose disability prevents them from using MATA's regular fixed-route buses in Memphis and Shelby County. It is curb-to-curb service, and you must apply, provide a Medical Verification of Disability form, and complete an in-person interview and functional assessment first. Applications are not accepted by mail, email, or fax, and there are no walk-in hours: call the MATAplus Eligibility Center at 901-322-4080 (or 901-722-7193) to schedule an appointment, and complete the interview and functional assessment at the Airways Transit Center, 3033 Airways Boulevard. You will be notified of eligibility within 21 days.
Tennesseans with full TennCare and no other way to travel may qualify for free non-emergency medical transportation to covered appointments; ask your TennCare plan.
Ask the Aging Commission of the Mid-South (901-222-4111) about senior-center and human-services transportation for older adults in Shelby County.

Legal help

Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) provides free civil legal help across Shelby County. Its Elder Law program assists residents age 60 and older (and MALS can assist the elderly with certain matters regardless of income level, including foreclosure prevention, housing, and tax issues), on powers of attorney, wills and estate planning, TennCare and public benefits, conservatorship, eviction prevention, elder abuse, and scams. Memphis office: 200 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 1075, Memphis, TN 38103 (901-523-8822 or toll-free 1-866-361-9001). Apply online at 901legalconnect.org, or call 901-523-8822 to leave a message for an intake counselor.
The Aging Commission of the Mid-South (901-222-4111) provides legal and benefits counseling for older adults and can refer you to the right legal aid program.
Tennessee does not run a single statewide senior legal helpline the way some states do, so the regional legal aid office (Memphis Area Legal Services) and the AAAD are the front doors for free civil legal help for older adults. The Community Legal Center (clcmemphis.org) is another Memphis nonprofit offering low-cost civil legal help.

Caregiver support

The Aging Commission of the Mid-South runs the Family Caregiver Support Program for the Memphis region: respite care to give caregivers a break, supplemental services, education, and connection to support groups. Call 901-222-4111 or 1-866-836-6678.
The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is there any hour for dementia caregiving questions, and the Aging Commission can connect caregivers to adult day, homemaker, and in-home respite in Shelby County.

Staying at home instead of a nursing home

TennCare CHOICES is Tennessee's Medicaid long-term services and supports program. It pays for in-home care (personal care, home-delivered meals, adult day care, and other supports) for people 65 and older, and adults with physical disabilities, who would otherwise need a nursing home but can live safely at home with help. The Aging Commission of the Mid-South is the local screening point: call 901-222-4111 or 1-866-836-6678 to start, or reach the TennCare LTSS Help Desk at 1-877-224-0219.
PACE (the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) wraps all medical care, therapy, a day center, home care, and meals into one program for people 55 and older who meet a nursing-home level of care but can live at home with help. Tennessee's only PACE program today is Alexian PACE in Chattanooga (Hamilton County), so no PACE site serves Shelby County. For the same kind of wraparound help at home, ask about CHOICES through the Aging Commission of the Mid-South (901-222-4111) or call the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116).
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

Mom is 66 in Memphis on a fixed income. Can she cut or freeze her property taxes? Likely yes, but Memphis is a two-office situation. For the county portion, call the Shelby County Trustee at 901-222-0200 and ask about the state Property Tax Relief rebate (owners 65+ or disabled under a $37,530 income limit) and the Property Tax Freeze (owners 65+ with 2024 income at or under $61,920). Because she lives inside the City of Memphis, she also has to apply with the City of Memphis for the city portion, and the city deadline is different (the 2025 city deadline was October 6, 2025). Ask both offices about deadlines and the documents to bring.

Dad is homebound in Shelby County and can't cook anymore. How do we get him meals? Call the Aging Commission of the Mid-South at 901-222-4111. They are the single point of entry for home-delivered meals through MIFA Meals on Wheels and will screen him for eligibility. If you need food sooner, find a pantry through Mid-South Food Bank (midsouthfoodbank.org/find-food or 901-527-0841) or by dialing 211, and ask the Shelby County Health Department (901-222-9750) about the CSFP monthly food box for residents 60 and older.

My parent can't drive and needs rides to the doctor in Memphis. What is available? If a disability keeps your parent from using regular MATA buses, apply for MATAplus ADA paratransit by calling the Eligibility Center at 901-322-4080 to schedule an appointment (you will need a Medical Verification of Disability form and an in-person assessment at the Airways Transit Center). Tennesseans with full TennCare may also qualify for free rides to covered medical appointments through their TennCare plan. Ask the Aging Commission (901-222-4111) about senior-center transportation.

We want to keep Mom at home but her care is getting complex. What pays for in-home care? Tennessee's Medicaid long-term care program, TennCare CHOICES, can bring personal care, adult day care, home-delivered meals, and other in-home supports to someone who would otherwise need a nursing home. The Aging Commission of the Mid-South (901-222-4111) is the local screening point, or call the TennCare LTSS Help Desk at 1-877-224-0219. The Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can help you compare options.

Sources

Shelby County Trustee, Tax Relief (state-funded rebate; elderly/disabled income limit $37,530; 2025 Shelby County max credit $219.91 elderly/disabled and $1,176.88 disabled vet; both city and county taxes; deadline April 5, 2026; Trustee 901-222-0200; P.O. Box 2751, Memphis, TN 38101; Trustee does not handle Memphis, Germantown, Collierville): https://www.shelbycountytrustee.com/106/Tax-Relief
Shelby County Trustee, Tax Freeze (age 65+, freezes tax amount, county-set income limit, deadline April 5, 2026, City of Memphis deadline October 6, 2025; apply via 901-222-0200): https://www.shelbycountytrustee.com/101/Tax-Freeze
Tennessee Comptroller, Property Tax Relief and Property Tax Freeze (state programs administered by county trustee): https://comptroller.tn.gov/office-functions/pa/property-taxes/property-tax-programs/tax-relief.html and https://comptroller.tn.gov/office-functions/pa/property-taxes/property-tax-programs/property-tax-freeze.html
City of Memphis Treasury, City of Memphis tax relief (separate city program): https://www.memphistn.gov/treasury/
Aging Commission of the Mid-South, Shelby County official page (AAAD for Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby, Tipton; Information and Assistance 901-222-4111 or 1-866-836-6678, TTY 711; single point of entry for in-home meals, homemaker, personal care, CHOICES screening; physical address 160 North Main St, 3rd Floor, Memphis, TN 38103): https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/3433/Aging-Commission-of-the-Mid-South
MIFA (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association) Meals on Wheels and senior programs (adults 60+ in Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, Lauderdale; screening via Aging Commission 901-222-4111): https://www.mifa.org/seniors and https://www.mifa.org/aboutmifamealsonwheels
Mid-South Food Bank (3865 S. Perkins Road, Memphis, TN 38118; 901-527-0841; Senior Nutrition Program grocery boxes; find food): https://www.midsouthfoodbank.org/find-food and https://www.midsouthfoodbank.org/seniors
Shelby County Health Department, Senior Food Program (CSFP) (901-222-9750; 1020 South Bellevue, Memphis, TN 38106; income-eligible residents 60+): https://www.shelbytnhealth.com/373/Senior-Food-Program-CSFP
Shelby County Community Services Agency (CSA), LIHEAP / Utility Assistance (1188 Minna Place, Memphis, TN 38104; Call Center 901-222-4200; applications online only via the THDA SmartSimple portal): https://shelbycountycsa.org/utility-assistance/
Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), utility assistance: https://www.mlgw.com/community/utilityassistance
TN SHIP (Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program), 1-877-801-0044: https://www.tn.gov/disability-and-aging/disability-aging-programs/tn-ship.html
TennCare (TennCare Connect, 1-855-259-0701) and TennCare CHOICES home and community based services (LTSS Help Desk 1-877-224-0219): https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/choices.html and https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/members-applicants/how-do-i-apply-for-tenncare.html
Memphis Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis, Aging In Place Program (ramps, grab bars, critical repairs for Memphis-city-limits homeowners age 62+; hotline 901-322-3500): https://www.memphishabitat.com/aging-in-place-program
City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development, Weatherization Assistance Program (Shelby County): https://www.memphis-wap.org/
Memphis Area Transit Authority, MATAplus ADA paratransit (Eligibility Center 901-322-4080 or 901-722-7193; assessments at Airways Transit Center, 3033 Airways Boulevard): https://www.matatransit.com/mataplus/
Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS), Elder Law (200 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 1075, Memphis, TN 38103; 901-523-8822 or 1-866-361-9001; apply at 901legalconnect.org): https://malsi.org/client-services/ and https://www.901legalconnect.org/
Tennessee TennCare, PACE program overview: https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/the-program-for-all-inclusive-care-for-the-elderly-pace-program.html
Verified July 3, 2026.

Verified July 3, 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.