Benefits · Nutrition
How to apply for Senior Connection Center Senior Meals + NU-HOPE Local Delivery (Highlands)
Senior Connection Center, Inc. (SCC) — Area Agency on Aging + ADRC for PSA 6 (Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Highlands, Hardee); local delivery in Highlands through contracted nonprofit partners including NU-HOPE Elder Care Services, Inc.
Who it's for
Senior Connection Center, Inc. (SCC) is the nonprofit Area Agency on Aging and Aging and Disability Resource Center designated by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs for Planning and Service Area 6 — covering Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Highlands, and Hardee counties. For Highlands residents, SCC coordinates Older Americans Act Title III nutrition through contracted local meal providers including NU-HOPE Elder Care Services, Inc., the Highlands+Hardee senior services nonprofit. Congregate dining is available at senior centers across Sebring, Avon Park, Lake Placid, and surrounding communities, and home-delivered Meals on Wheels serves homebound Highlands seniors. NU-HOPE's two-county operation also coordinates transportation, in-home services, and case management for Highlands seniors — making it a particularly integrated local nonprofit for Highlands residents. Eligibility is age 60+ and Highlands residency for congregate meals; home-delivered meals additionally require functional documentation of homebound status. Apply by calling the SCC Elder Helpline at 1-800-336-2226 for a phone-based needs assessment, or contact NU-HOPE directly for Highlands-specific intake.
Congregate meals require only age 60+ and Highlands residency — call the SCC Elder Helpline at 1-800-336-2226 to be referred to a Sebring, Avon Park, or Lake Placid meal site. Home-delivered meals additionally require documented homebound status — a NU-HOPE or SCC case manager makes that determination, and prioritized client lists may apply. There is no income or asset test for OAA services, but participants are offered the option to contribute voluntarily based on means; no one is denied for inability to pay. NU-HOPE's two-county integrated operation (Highlands + Hardee) means Highlands seniors can also access NU-HOPE's transportation, in-home services, and case management through the same intake.
What you'll need
- Proof of age 60+ (Florida driver's license, Florida ID, or birth certificate)
- Proof of Highlands County residency (utility bill, lease, or government correspondence)
- For home-delivered meals: documentation supporting homebound status or functional inability to prepare meals (typically a physician's note or NU-HOPE / SCC case manager assessment)
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 1-800-336-2226
Renewals
annual reassessment by NU-HOPE or SCC case manager
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.