Senior benefits in Union County, Florida

Central Florida Community Action Agency, Inc. (CFCAA) is the designated Community Action Agency administering the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for Union County. CFCAA's LIHEAP provides assistance to low-income households to help pay energy expenses, including crisis relief for emergency situations. The Florida LIHEAP income gate is set at 60 percent of the State Median Income. Senior-headed households receive application priority. Applications can be submitted online or by visiting CFCAA's office; processing typically takes up to 45 days. For Union County seniors who prefer a senior-pathway intake, Council on Aging in Union County (fl.union.coauc_meals) at 386-496-2502 also serves as a referral point that consolidates with FREE Meals on Wheels and CCE services enrollment.

$200–$1,500/yr

In this county: CFCAA administers Union County LIHEAP on a first-come-first-served basis — funds can exhaust mid-year. Apply EARLY in the cooling season (typically February-March) and heating season (typically November-December) for the strongest chance of award. Florida LIHEAP uses 60% of State Median Income as the income gate. CFCAA's main office is in Gainesville (Alachua) — Union seniors face about 45-60 minute travel for in-person intake. SREC Transportation (fl.union.srec_transportation) coordinates rides to CFCAA intake sites.

The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) is a Florida Department of Elder Affairs program funded through the federal LIHEAP block grant but administered separately from regular LIHEAP — explicitly targeted at low-income households with at least one person age 60+. In Union County, EHEAP is delivered by Council on Aging in Union County (COAUC), the local 501(c)(3) AAA delivery partner. EHEAP provides emergency assistance to seniors facing imminent utility shutoff, deposit requirements for service restoration, or a home cooling/heating crisis. Maximum benefits are typically $600-$1,000 per emergency, paid directly to the utility company or the AC repair vendor. EHEAP can stack with regular LIHEAP (fl.union.cfcaa_liheap) — a senior household may receive both. Income eligibility is set at 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. At least one household member must be 60 years old or older. Apply by calling COAUC at 386-496-2502 — same intake as FREE Congregate Meals at the Lake Butler Senior Service Center, 5-day-per-week Home Delivered Meals, Ensure supplemental nutrition, and CCE in-home services.

$300–$1,000/yr

In this county: EHEAP is genuinely emergency-only — applicants must document an imminent shutoff, deposit-for-restoration requirement, or broken heating/cooling crisis. Routine bill assistance for seniors should go through regular LIHEAP via CFCAA (fl.union.cfcaa_liheap) instead. The income gate follows LIHEAP's 60% SMI standard (corrected 2026-07-07; the old 150% FPL framing was wrong) and matches LIHEAP's 60% SMI gate. Up to 2 EHEAP benefits per program year per household. Florida DOEA caps the typical award at $600-$1,000 per emergency, paid directly to the utility or vendor. For Union County, COAUC is the integrated intake point — same phone (386-496-2502) handles EHEAP + FREE meals + Ensure + CCE in-home services.

Union County has NO acute-care hospital of its own — Union's safety-net healthcare is structured as a two-layer model. LOCAL PRIMARY CARE: The Florida Department of Health in Union County provides primary care, public health services, and a sliding-fee scale based on income from its location in Lake Butler. HOSPITAL-LEVEL CARE: Union seniors travel to Alachua County for hospitalization, typically UF Health Shands Hospital — the 1,162-bed academic medical center and Level I Trauma Center at 1600 SW Archer Road in Gainesville. UF Health Shands has a STRICTER 185% FPL threshold for 100% charity care; the 45% uninsured self-pay discount applies as a baseline. Union seniors can also use the UF Health Family Medical Group Starke (in neighboring Bradford County, about 20 minutes east) as an alternative UF Health-system primary care option. For Union seniors, SREC Transportation (fl.union.srec_transportation) is the practical mobility link to Gainesville. Apply for UF Health Shands FAP by calling 352-265-7906.

$500–$50,000/yr

In this county: Union County's lack of an in-county acute-care hospital makes the two-layer safety net structurally important. Union seniors have a meaningful alternative: UF Health Family Medical Group Starke (in adjacent Bradford County, about 20 minutes east) provides UF Health-system primary care — a closer option than traveling all the way to Gainesville. UF Health Shands' 185% FPL threshold is STRICTER than peer FL hospitals. The 45% uninsured self-pay discount applies as a baseline. For non-emergency hospital care, advance scheduling and SREC Transportation coordination are essential. For emergency care, 911 dispatch will route to the appropriate Gainesville facility.

Council on Aging in Union County (COAUC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving as the contracted local AAA delivery partner under Elder Options (Mid-Florida AAA, PSA 3) for OAA Title III nutrition + Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) services in Union County. COAUC's Senior Service Center is at 665 SE 4th Street in Lake Butler. The Union County Senior Nutrition Program is genuinely FREE — meals are provided to Union County residents 60+ at NO COST WITH NO INCOME GUIDELINES — an unusually generous eligibility approach. Programs include: (1) Congregate Meals at the Senior Service Center; (2) Home Delivered Meals — volunteers deliver FIVE healthy lunchtime meals per week to seniors unable to obtain food or prepare meals and who are unable to leave their homes unassisted (the 5-day-a-week home delivery is more frequent than peer rural FL programs that deliver weekly or once-weekly); (3) Supplemental Nutrition Access (Ensure) — distinctive nutritional supplement program for seniors needing additional caloric intake; (4) CCE services including Case Management, Companion services, Homemaker services, and Personal Care; (5) Title III programs including Nutrition Education and Transportation referrals. Apply by calling COAUC at 386-496-2502 or via Elder Options' helpline at 1-800-262-2243.

$1,800–$6,000/yr

In this county: COAUC's nutrition program is genuinely FREE with NO INCOME GUIDELINES — among the most generous eligibility approaches modeled in the FL catalog. The 5-DAYS-PER-WEEK home delivery is more frequent than peer rural FL programs (which often deliver weekly or once-weekly frozen meals). The Ensure supplemental nutrition program is DISTINCTIVE — most peer Council on Aging records don't explicitly offer nutritional supplement access. Home-delivered meals require the homebound criteria (unable to obtain food + unable to leave home unassisted). CCE in-home services (Personal Care, Homemaker) use sliding-scale fees based on income/sponsorship. The Lake Butler Senior Service Center is the central congregate site; for seniors in Worthington Springs or other outlying parts of Union County, coordinate SREC Transportation (fl.union.srec_transportation) for rides — note the service-split model means BOTH COAUC (386-496-2502) and SREC (1-844-496-0624) phones are relevant depending on need.

Suwannee River Economic Council (SREC) coordinates transportation services for Union County as part of its broader regional service footprint across North Central Florida. SREC Transportation provides demand-response, door-to-door paratransit for elderly and disadvantaged residents — transportation to doctors' offices, medical facilities, the Union County Senior Service Center for congregate meals, drug stores, and shopping. Funding sources include the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged, and Medicaid HMOs. Eligibility uses the Florida TD framework: age 60+ OR documented disability OR low-income transportation-disadvantaged status. Union County has NO fixed-route public bus system — SREC Transportation paratransit is the primary mobility option. For non-emergency medical care, SREC Transportation can connect Union seniors to UF Health Shands in Gainesville (about 45-60 minutes southeast) for tertiary care. STRUCTURAL NOTE: SREC delivers transit in Union but NOT meals — meals are delivered by the dedicated Council on Aging in Union County (COAUC, fl.union.coauc_meals). Apply for reservations by calling SREC at 1-844-496-0624 or 386-496-0624.

$500–$4,500/yr

In this county: Union County has NO fixed-route public bus system AND NO acute-care hospital — SREC Transportation is the primary local mobility option, and reliable access to UF Health Shands in Gainesville (about 45-60 minutes southeast) is a healthcare-access issue. STRUCTURAL NOTE: SREC handles transit but NOT meals in Union — meals are delivered by Council on Aging in Union County (COAUC). Seniors coordinating multiple services may need to call both SREC (1-844-496-0624) for transit and COAUC separately for meals. The Medicaid HMO funding pathway means Medicaid-eligible riders can access transit through their HMO.