Williamson County, TN Senior Help Directory: Franklin Programs for Seniors and Families (2026)

Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in Williamson 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 | Greater Nashville Regional Council Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD), the line for Williamson County Medicare counseling, home-delivered meals, in-home help, caregiver support, legal help, and transportation (615-255-1010 or 1-866-836-6678, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) | Williamson County Trustee for senior property tax relief and freeze (615-790-5709)

Property tax relief (apply with the Williamson County Trustee, Franklin; 615-790-5709; williamsoncounty-tn.gov, Tax Relief and Tax Freeze page)

Williamson County is notable because it stacks a locally funded relief program on top of the two state-and-county programs, so a senior here has three doors to try, each with its own income limit. All are filed through the Williamson County Trustee. If you own a home inside the City of Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Nolensville, or another Williamson town, the town collects its own separate property tax and may run its own relief, so ask the town too. 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 rebate): for homeowners age 65 and older, or those totally and permanently disabled through Social Security, on their primary residence. The state combined-income limit for the 2025 tax year was $37,530. The deadline runs to early April (April 5, 2026 for the 2025 tax year).
• Williamson County Property Tax Freeze Program: for homeowners age 65 and older, this freezes the dollar amount of county property tax on your primary residence at the amount you owed the year you first qualify. Williamson County's income limit for the 2025 tax year is $67,460, which is much higher than the relief-program limit, so many middle-income seniors qualify for the freeze even if they earn too much for the rebate. Ask the Trustee for the current freeze limit and deadline.
• Williamson County Broad Base Tax Relief Program (local, county-funded): this is a Williamson County program on top of the state one, with a higher income limit of $48,770 for the 2025 tax year and a later deadline of August 31, 2026. It is worth asking about specifically, because a senior who earns too much for the state rebate may still qualify here.
• Disabled veteran homeowners and their surviving spouses: Tennessee offers additional property tax relief for service-connected disabled veterans and surviving spouses through the same Trustee's office. Ask what documentation the state requires.
• The one move: call the Williamson County Trustee at 615-790-5709 and ask them to walk you through all three programs (the state relief rebate, the county freeze, and the county Broad Base Tax Relief), tell you which income limit and deadline applies to each, and list the documents to bring. Then ask your town (Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, or Nolensville) about any city-level senior relief.

Food

• GraceWorks Ministries is the main local safety net in Williamson County, at 104 Southeast Parkway, Suite 100, Franklin, TN 37064 (615-790-5789). It runs a food pantry (by appointment or curbside) open to anyone, monthly mobile pantries around the county, and a senior-adult-needs program, plus emergency rent and utility help. Reach GraceWorks at 615-790-5789 or graceworkstn.org.
• FiftyForward Fresh / Meals on Wheels delivers healthy meals to the doorsteps of homebound older adults in Williamson County (as well as Davidson and Rutherford). Call the FiftyForward Resource Line at 615-743-3416, or ask the GNRC AAAD (615-255-1010) for a home-delivered meal assessment.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee (331 Great Circle Road, Nashville, TN 37228; 615-329-3491) is the regional food bank supplying Williamson County pantries and runs the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a monthly box of USDA food for income-eligible residents age 60 and older. Find help at secondharvestmidtn.org or by dialing 211.
• SNAP (food stamps) is based on income, not age. Apply through the 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 Williamson County is run by the Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency, at 129 West Fowlkes Street, Suite 136, Franklin, TN 37064 (615-742-1113, ext. 9400). LIHEAP provides a benefit toward electric, gas, propane, wood, kerosene, or coal bills (generally once per program year) and crisis help for shutoffs. Reach the agency at 615-742-1113 or midcumberland.org.
• GraceWorks Ministries (615-790-5789) also helps with past-due utility bills for Williamson County residents (generally once every six months).
• 211 is the fastest way to find a local crisis fund or church ministry with money for a past-due bill, and your utility (such as Middle Tennessee Electric or Piedmont Natural Gas) may offer its own customer assistance.

Medicare, Medicaid, prescriptions

• Tennessee's SHIP program is TN SHIP (the State Health Insurance Assistance Program), delivered locally through the Greater Nashville Regional Council AAAD. 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 GNRC AAAD at 615-255-1010. 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

• The Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency (615-742-1113) delivers Weatherization Assistance (free insulation, air sealing, and heating and cooling safety work for income-eligible households, with older adults served first) for Williamson County. Ask about weatherization when you call.
• In the rural parts of Williamson County (areas like College Grove and Thompson's Station), homeowners 62 and older with low income may qualify for the USDA Section 504 Home Repair program (grants up to a set limit to remove health and safety hazards, plus low-interest repair loans) through USDA Rural Development. Ask USDA Rural Development or dial 211.
• GraceWorks Ministries (615-790-5789) can help with some senior-adult home and basic-needs situations, and 211 can point you to area nonprofits that build wheelchair ramps and make accessibility modifications. Ask the GNRC AAAD (615-255-1010) what minor home-repair or safety help they can connect you to.

Rent, housing, emergency cash

• GraceWorks Ministries (104 Southeast Parkway, Suite 100, Franklin; 615-790-5789) is the first stop for Williamson County residents in a crisis: food, emergency rent (generally once per year), utility help (generally once every six months), and homeless assistance.
• 211 is the fastest route to other temporary rent and utility help and will point you to whichever local ministry or fund has money right now.
• The Salvation Army and area church ministries also 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

• Franklin Transit (operated by The TMA Group, 708 Columbia Avenue, Franklin; 615-628-0260) serves the City of Franklin. Riders 65 and older pay half fare at all times. For seniors, the system offers Flexible Deviation service (the bus will detour up to three-quarters of a mile off its fixed route to pick you up or drop you off, with reservations 24 hours in advance) and Transit On Demand (TODD), a pre-arranged curb-to-curb ride. Call 615-628-0260 to set up a ride or ask about eligibility.
• MyRide TN is a statewide volunteer-driver program in which volunteers use their own vehicles to drive older Tennesseans to medical appointments, the grocery store, and other destinations. Ask the GNRC AAAD (615-255-1010) or the statewide aging line (1-866-836-6678) whether a MyRide program serves Williamson County.
• 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.

Legal help

• The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands provides free civil legal help to lower-income residents and to older adults across Williamson County and Middle Tennessee, on issues like powers of attorney, wills, TennCare and public benefits, housing, consumer problems, and scams. Reach it toll-free at 1-800-238-1443, or through its statewide legal helpline HELP4TN at 1-844-435-7486 (1-844-HELP4TN) and help4tn.org.
• The Greater Nashville Regional Council AAAD (615-255-1010) provides legal services 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 and the AAAD are the front doors for free civil legal help for older adults.

Caregiver support

• The Greater Nashville Regional Council AAAD runs the Family Caregiver Support Program for the region, including Williamson County: respite care to give caregivers a break, supplemental services, education on Alzheimer's and other dementias, and connection to support groups and counseling. Call 615-255-1010 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 GNRC AAAD can connect caregivers to adult day, homemaker, and in-home respite in Williamson 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, as well as for those at risk who need care to delay a nursing home. Apply through the LTSS Help Desk at 1-877-224-0219, or call the Intake and Assistance line at 1-866-836-6678 and choose Option 1. The GNRC AAAD (615-255-1010) can also help you start.
• 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 has a PACE program, but the operating site most commonly listed is Alexian PACE in the Chattanooga area (423-698-0802). To find out whether a PACE program serves the Williamson County area, call the GNRC AAAD (615-255-1010), TennCare, or 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 rides also help an older adult stay in the home longer.

Frequently asked questions

Mom is 68 in Franklin and worried her property taxes keep climbing. What can she do? Williamson County gives her three doors to try, all through the Williamson County Trustee (615-790-5709): the state Property Tax Relief rebate (lower income limit, reported $37,530 for 2025), the county Property Tax Freeze that locks the dollar amount of county tax at today's level (much higher income limit, reported $67,460), and the county-funded Broad Base Tax Relief Program (reported $48,770 limit, later deadline). Even a middle-income senior often qualifies for the freeze. Call the Trustee, ask which programs and limits fit her, and also ask the City of Franklin about any town-level relief.

Dad is homebound in Williamson County and can't cook anymore. How do we get him meals? Call FiftyForward Fresh / Meals on Wheels at 615-743-3416 (or the GNRC AAAD at 615-255-1010) to ask for a home-delivered meal assessment. If you need food sooner, GraceWorks Ministries in Franklin (615-790-5789) runs a food pantry and monthly mobile pantries, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee (615-329-3491) can point you to a pantry and to the CSFP monthly food box for residents 60 and older.

My parent in Franklin can't drive and needs rides. What is available? Franklin Transit (The TMA Group, 615-628-0260) gives riders 65 and older half fare and offers Flexible Deviation pickup (reserve 24 hours ahead) and Transit On Demand curb-to-curb rides within Franklin. For volunteer rides to medical appointments and errands, ask the GNRC AAAD (615-255-1010) whether MyRide TN serves Williamson County. Tennesseans with full TennCare may also qualify for free rides to covered medical appointments.

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. Apply through the LTSS Help Desk at 1-877-224-0219 or call 1-866-836-6678, Option 1. The GNRC AAAD (615-255-1010) can help you start, and the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can help you compare options.

Sources

• Williamson County, TN, Tax Relief and Tax Freeze (Williamson County Trustee; three programs; State Property Tax Relief 2025 income limit $37,530; Williamson County Property Tax Freeze 2025 limit reported $67,460; Williamson County Broad Base Tax Relief 2025 limit reported $48,770, deadline reported August 31, 2026): https://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/2195/Tax-Relief-Tax-Freeze and https://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/2194/Trustee
• Tennessee Comptroller, Property Tax Relief and Property Tax Freeze (state program, 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
• NewsChannel5, City of Franklin exploring more ways to help seniors with property taxes (town-level relief): https://www.newschannel5.com/news/state/tennessee/williamson-county/city-of-franklin-exploring-more-ways-to-help-seniors-struggling-to-pay-property-taxes
• GraceWorks Ministries (104 Southeast Parkway, Suite 100, Franklin, TN 37064; 615-790-5789; food pantry, mobile pantries, emergency rent and utility, senior adult needs): https://www.graceworkstn.org/ and https://www.graceworkstn.org/services/ and https://www.graceworkstn.org/help/food/
• FiftyForward Fresh / Meals on Wheels (Resource Line 615-743-3416; serves Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford): https://fiftyforward.org/supportive-care/fiftyforward-fresh-meals-on-wheels/
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee (331 Great Circle Road, Nashville, TN 37228; 615-329-3491; CSFP for residents 60+): https://www.secondharvestmidtn.org/ and https://www.secondharvestmidtn.org/contact-us/
• Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) Area Agency on Aging and Disability (615-255-1010 or 1-866-836-6678; aging and disability services, caregiver support, meals coordination): https://www.gnrc.org/163/Aging-and-Disability-Services and https://gnrc.org/197/Aging-and-Disability-Programs
• Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency, LIHEAP energy assistance and weatherization for Williamson County (129 West Fowlkes Street, Suite 136, Franklin, TN 37064; 615-742-1113, ext. 9400): https://midcumberland.org/services__trashed/utility-assistance/ and https://www.williamsonherald.com/news/article_9df986f4-7926-11e7-a9cf-2745bcd60089.html
• 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; Intake 1-866-836-6678 Option 1): 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
• Franklin Transit / The TMA Group (708 Columbia Avenue, Franklin; 615-628-0260; senior half fare, Flexible Deviation, Transit On Demand): https://franklintransit.org/ and https://tmagroup.org/community-transit/
• MyRide TN volunteer transportation: https://www.tn.gov/disability-and-aging/disability-aging-programs/transportation-assistance/myride-tn.html
• Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (1-800-238-1443) and HELP4TN statewide legal helpline (1-844-435-7486): https://las.org/get-help/office-locations-and-the-counties-we-serve/ and https://www.help4tn.org/
• Tennessee TennCare, PACE program (Alexian PACE listed, 423-698-0802, Chattanooga area): https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/the-program-for-all-inclusive-care-for-the-elderly-pace-program.html
• Verified July 2, 2026.

Verified July 2, 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.