Senior benefits in Union County, Florida

Suwannee River Economic Council, Inc. (SREC) is the designated agency administering the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for Union County (Central Florida Community Action Agency serves only Alachua, Levy and Marion). SREC'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. Apply through SREC's Union County Client/Senior Service Center, 665 SE 4th Street, Lake Butler (386-496-2342; main office 386-362-4115) or the online program forms at srecinc.org. The same centre's Senior Services line (386-496-2342 ext 2) consolidates intake with congregate/home-delivered meals and CCE services.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$1,500 a year

In this county: SREC 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. SREC's Union County Client/Senior Service Center at 665 SE 4th Street, Lake Butler (386-496-2342) handles intake locally.

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 through Suwannee River Economic Council (SREC), the local 501(c)(3) AAA delivery partner and FloridaCommerce LIHEAP provider. 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 follows Florida LIHEAP's 60% of State Median Income standard. At least one household member must be 60 years old or older. Apply by calling SREC's Union County Client/Senior Service Center at 386-496-2342 (Senior Services ext 2) — 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. As of July 1, 2026, EHEAP applications go through FloridaCommerce's LIHEAP provider network instead of the local aging agency: apply online at FloridaLIHEAP.com or through the local LIHEAP provider listed here.

Estimated bill savings: $300–$1,000 a year

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 1-888-766-8154 (UF Health Financial Assistance, Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30).

Estimated bill savings: $500–$50,000 a year

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.

Veteran Directed Care lets a veteran stay at home and choose who provides their care, including hiring a family member or friend. Elder Options states it is for veterans of all ages who need help with activities of daily living such as bathing and getting dressed, or with instrumental activities such as fixing meals, who are isolated, or whose caregiver is experiencing burden, regardless of service connection or wartime era. The veteran gets a monthly VA-funded budget to hire workers and buy services, and can direct it or name someone to direct it. To qualify you must get your primary care through the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System; enrollment starts with a consult from your VA primary care provider. Elder Options serves Union County. Call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-262-2243, or the Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center at 352-264-7300, option 3.

Estimated service value: about $0 a year

Suwannee River Economic Council (SREC) is the contracted local AAA delivery partner under Elder Options (Mid-Florida AAA, PSA 3) for OAA Title III nutrition and Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) services in Union County. SREC's Union County Client/Senior Service Center is at 665 SE 4th Street in Lake Butler. Programs include congregate meals at the Senior Service Center, home-delivered meals for homebound seniors, CCE in-home services (case management, companion, homemaker and personal care), the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative, telephone reassurance, and SREC transportation. Older Americans Act meals have no income test; a voluntary contribution is requested. Apply by calling SREC's Union County center at 386-496-2342 or Elder Options' helpline at 1-800-262-2243.

Estimated service value: $1,800–$6,000 a year

In this county: Older Americans Act meals have no income test; a voluntary contribution is requested. 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 — the Senior Service Center (386-496-2342) and SREC Transportation (1-844-496-0624) are both SREC lines.

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.

Estimated service value: $500–$4,500 a year

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.