Grants for Seniors in Winston-Salem, NC (2026 Guide)

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For a wider state-level starting point, use the GFS North Carolina assistance guide.

What Has Changed

• Housing Choice Vouchers: ASPIRE says it is not accepting Housing Choice Voucher applications now. Its most recent application period was in April 2024. Public housing applications are handled separately.
• 2026 property tax relief: Forsyth County’s regular June 1, 2026 filing deadline has passed. If you missed it, call the Tax Assessor and ask what options remain and what to prepare for the next filing cycle.

Local Starting Points in Winston-Salem

Forsyth County Department of Social Services

Forsyth County DSS is at 741 North Highland Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. The main number is 336-703-3800. This is the best local office for Medicaid, Food and Nutrition Services, Low Income Energy Assistance, Crisis Intervention, Adult Protective Services, and other income-tested benefits.

You can apply for some benefits online through NC ePASS. If online forms are hard for you, call DSS and ask about mail, drop-off, in-person, or telephone options. The GFS NC benefits portal guide explains the online route in plain steps.

Area Agency on Aging

Forsyth County is served by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council Area Agency on Aging. The state AAA directory lists the regional main number as 336-904-0300. Area Agencies on Aging help with planning, information, caregiver support, advocacy, and connections to local services. They do not normally hand out cash.

If you want more detail on what an aging agency can do, see the GFS North Carolina AAA guide.

Senior Services, Inc.

Senior Services is a local nonprofit serving older adults in Forsyth County. Its Meals-on-Wheels program serves county residents age 60 or older who are homebound and unable to obtain and prepare a nutritious meal. The program warns that some areas may have a waiting list. Call the Help Line at 336-724-2040 for screening and referrals to meals, home care, caregiver support, adult day services, and other local help.

Housing, Rent, and Property Tax Help

If rent or eviction is urgent

Do not wait for a court date to pass. The City of Winston-Salem lists eviction diversion resources for people facing housing loss. The list includes coordinated housing intake, emergency financial help, and local organizations that may have funds or counseling.

Crisis Control Ministry provides short-term help in Forsyth and Stokes Counties with needs that can include rent or mortgage, utilities, food, and medication. Winston-Salem Client Services is 336-724-7453. An interview is part of the process, and available help depends on the crisis and current resources.

For more housing paths, including subsidized apartments and emergency options, use the GFS North Carolina housing guide.

ASPIRE public housing and vouchers

ASPIRE applicants is the local starting point for public housing and Housing Choice Voucher information. As of September 12, 2026, ASPIRE says its Housing Choice Voucher list is not accepting applications and that the last opening was in April 2024. Its applicant page also provides a separate route for public housing.

Forsyth County property tax relief

The Forsyth tax relief page lists three main North Carolina programs. For 2026, the Elderly or Disabled Exclusion uses a $38,800 income limit for a homeowner age 65 or older or a homeowner who is totally and permanently disabled. The exclusion is the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the home’s appraised value.

The Circuit Breaker can limit current taxes to 4% or 5% of income, depending on the income level, but the unpaid tax is deferred and remains a lien. Forsyth lists $38,800 and $58,200 as the 2026 income points for the two tiers. The regular 2026 application deadline was June 1.

Utility, Heating, Phone, and Internet Help

Low Income Energy Assistance Program

North Carolina’s LIEAP program makes a one-time vendor payment toward eligible heating costs. Households with a person age 60 or older, or certain people receiving disability services through the state aging division, can apply from December 1 through December 31. Other households can apply from January 1 through March 31, or until funds are exhausted.

Because this article is being updated in September, the older-adult LIEAP window is not open yet. Use the next few months to gather the heating bill, income proof, identity records, and other papers DSS asks for.

Crisis Intervention Program

The CIP program is for a heating or cooling crisis. Applications are taken July 1 through June 30, or until the county’s allocation is used. The current state page lists a resource limit of $4,500 for a household with a member age 60 or older or disabled, and $3,000 for other households. The household must also meet the income test and show an energy-related crisis.

If you have a shutoff notice, no safe heat or cooling, or a health risk tied to temperature, tell DSS that first. The GFS North Carolina emergency guide lists backup routes when one fund is closed.

Lifeline phone or internet discount

The federal Lifeline program may lower the monthly cost of phone or internet service for households that meet income rules or take part in programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, Supplemental Security Income, federal public housing assistance, or certain veterans benefits. Apply through the official Lifeline system, not through a paid benefit finder.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Help at Home

Free Medicare counseling

North Carolina’s Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, called SHIIP, gives free and unbiased Medicare counseling. The SHIIP contact page lists 1-855-408-1212, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Counselors can help with Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap, billing problems, and ways to lower Medicare costs.

If premiums and cost sharing are hard to afford, the GFS NC Medicare Savings guide explains the main savings programs. DSS makes the eligibility decision.

Personal care and CAP/DA

Personal Care Services can help eligible NC Medicaid members with daily tasks such as eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, and mobility. Eligibility requires Medicaid, a medical condition or disability, and an assessment of daily-care needs.

CAP/DA information is for adults age 18 or older with serious health needs who may otherwise need institutional care. It can support care at home, but the program has Medicaid, medical, and needs-assessment rules. Availability and service capacity can vary.

If a relative is already providing much of the care, the GFS North Carolina caregiver guide explains when a paid-family-caregiver path may exist and when it may not.

Food, SNAP, and Meals

North Carolina calls its regular SNAP program Food and Nutrition Services, or FNS. The official FNS application page says you can apply online, in person, or by mail. It also says not to wait for every document before filing. If approved, benefits can begin from the date the application was submitted, even when information had to be added later.

Adults age 60 or older should report unreimbursed medical costs because some costs may affect the benefit calculation. The rules are detailed, so let DSS screen the household instead of deciding from one income number. For senior-specific food rules and the difference between regular FNS and North Carolina’s simplified senior SNAP, use the GFS NC SNAP guide.

If cooking or shopping is the problem, call Senior Services. Meals-on-Wheels is separate from SNAP and can be a better route for a homebound older adult who cannot obtain or prepare meals.

Home Repairs, Ramps, and Safety Changes

The current Forsyth housing rehab page lists several repair programs, but their service areas are not all the same. The county’s HOME and Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation programs exclude homes inside Winston-Salem and Walkertown. Its Urgent Repair Program is listed as available to residents across Forsyth County.

Forsyth’s Urgent Repair Program is aimed at very low-income households with a qualifying health, safety, or displacement need. The county says it is designed to serve groups that include older adults age 62 or older, people with disabilities, veterans, large households, and single-parent households. Approved help is described as an interest-free loan that is forgiven over time.

At the state level, the Urgent Repair Program lets qualified local organizations provide deferred, forgiven loans of up to $15,000 for emergency repairs and modifications for very low-income homeowners with special needs. The state page says household income must not exceed 50% of area median income.

For other repair paths, including rural programs and weatherization, see the GFS North Carolina repair guide.

Transportation and Rides

Winston-Salem Transit Authority’s Trans-AID service is a shared-ride paratransit service for eligible older adults and people with disabilities who cannot use fixed-route service. WSTA lists 336-727-2000 for information. Trans-AID is not an on-demand service, so ask how far ahead you need to schedule and what pickup window applies.

If you have Medicaid and need transportation to covered care, ask Forsyth DSS about Medicaid transportation. The eligibility and scheduling route can differ from Trans-AID.

How to Start Without Wasting Time

1. Name the urgent problem first. Say “shutoff,” “eviction,” “no food,” “unsafe stairs,” or “cannot bathe alone” before giving a long history.
2. Ask for the exact program. If you call DSS, ask whether FNS, Medicaid, LIEAP, or CIP fits. If you call a repair office, ask whether Urgent Repair serves your address.
3. Ask how to apply. Confirm online, phone, mail, drop-off, or in-person options.
4. Write down the worker’s name. Record the date, office, next step, and deadline.
5. Keep copies. Save notices, screenshots, uploaded files, and appeal letters.

Phone Scripts You Can Use

Reality Checks

• Most help is not cash. A program may pay a vendor, lower a bill, provide food, repair a home, or give a service.
• Funding can run out. Repair, rent, charity, and energy funds may close before the next cycle.
• Waitlists are real. Housing, meals, aides, and repairs can take time.
• One denial is not every denial. A closed list or failed application may mean a different program fits better.
• Do not pay for public forms. Use official agencies and established local nonprofits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting for every paper before filing an FNS application.
• Assuming a housing waitlist is open because an old post says it was.
• Calling a county repair program without asking whether your city address is in its service area.
• Thinking a tax deferral erases the tax bill.
• Ignoring letters because the wording is hard to understand.
• Changing a Medicare plan after a sales call without checking with SHIIP.

Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed

If the first program is closed, call 2-1-1 again and ask for another route for the same need. For example, a closed housing list does not mean every subsidized property is closed, and a closed seasonal energy program does not mean crisis or nonprofit help is unavailable.