Additional Community Resources

Local Community Resources

• Lee County - Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) – Lee County is buying and rehabilitating homes to sell at extremely low prices. Buyers can earn up to a middle-level income and still qualify. Subsidies will help lower mortgage payments. Check out NSP today.

Community Resources Focusing on Seniors

• American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) – Addresses the needs and interests of persons 50 and older. This nonprofit membership organization provides information, education, advocacy and service.
• American Society on Aging – Offers educational programs, publications and information and training resources targeting the elderly.
• Department of Elder Affairs – Serves as the primary state agency responsible for administering human services programs for the elderly.
• Elder Helpline – Provides information regarding local elder services through a toll-free number: 1-800-963-5337. The Helpline can also be accessed through the Florida Telecommunication Relay System (1-800-955-8771 for TDD or 1-800-955-8770 for voice).
• Florida Council on Aging (FCOA) – Serves Florida's diverse aging interests through education, information-sharing and advocacy.
• National Council on Aging – Promotes the well-being of older persons through a wide variety of services and programs.
• NCOA Benefits Checkup Online – Identifies federal and state assistance programs for seniors. This is a free and easy-to-use service.
• Older Floridians Handbook – Contains useful information on topics of interest to persons over 60 years old.
• Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE) – Offers free Medicare and health insurance education, counseling and assistance to Medicare customers and their families and caregivers. This is a statewide, volunteer-based program.

Community Resources Focusing on Low-Income Households

• Florida Housing Coalition – Provides information, training and technical assistance on affordable housing and related issues, and advocates to maximize the availability and enhance the quality of affordable housing in Florida.
• FloridaLawHelp.org – Contains the best, most up-to-date legal information for people with low incomes.
• Internal Revenue Service: Earned Income Tax Credit – Provides an important tax benefit to eligible low-income workers. Click for more information on the Earned Income Tax Credit, or click for a Web-based tool for Determining Earned Income Tax Credit Eligibility (IRS Web site).
• Lifeline Program – Pays a portion of a customer’s monthly telephone bill, depending on income and eligibility.
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) – Provides grants to local governments and nonprofit agencies to assist eligible low-income households in meeting the costs of home heating and cooling. The majority of the funds is used for utility payment assistance.

Miscellaneous Community Resources

• Agency for Health Care Administration – Champions accessible, affordable, quality health care for all Floridians.
• Florida Association for Community Action Inc. Services Directory – Lets you search by county for information on a wide variety of programs and services, including utilities assistance.
• Social Security Administration – Contains information on how to apply for benefits; replace your lost, stolen or damaged Medicare card; locate a local Social Security Office; and more.