Tennessee benefits and support programs

Free and Reduced-Price Meals (school meals)

Who it is for

Children in households receiving SNAP or Families First (free regardless of income), foster, homeless, runaway or migrant children, and children in households with gross income within the free or reduced-price limits; U.S. citizenship is not required.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Run by Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS)

Who it is for

Households (individuals who live and prepare food together) that meet certain qualifications referred to as eligibility criteria; in Tennessee SNAP is managed by TDHS, which has offices to serve all 95 counties in Tennessee.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program

Who it is for

Income-eligible pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children until age five; participants must be Tennessee residents, meet the gross income guidelines (at or below 185% of FPL), and be determined to be at nutritional or medical risk.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Applying for Housing - KCDC owned and operated properties

Who it is for

Households whose total income is at or below the income limits for the property, with at least one household member who is a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, who pass criminal and housing record screening.

Official page (kcdc.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Emergency Repair Program (ERP)

Who it is for

Low-income homeowners who are elderly (60+) or disabled, occupy the home as principal residence, have lived there at least three years, have an ownership interest, meet income limits, and are current on local property taxes.

Official page (thda.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Housing Program (SSVF) - Operation Stand Down Tennessee

Who it is for

Eligible Veterans and Veteran families who are at risk of homelessness, currently experiencing homelessness, facing eviction or housing instability, or in need of support to secure or maintain stable housing; service area covers 31 Tennessee counties across Middle and West Tennessee.

Official page (osdtn.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Who it is for

Low-income households, primarily those who pay a high proportion of household income on home energy; income eligible households are those at or below 60% of the State Median Income.

Official page (thda.org)Checked October 28, 2026

MLGW Plus1 utility assistance

Who it is for

MLGW customers (Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee) facing financial hardship with an active utility account and a recent cutoff notice; customers can only be approved one time in a calendar year (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31).

Official page (mlgwpowerofgiving.com)Checked October 28, 2026

Weatherization Assistance Program

Who it is for

Low-income households in Tennessee's 95 counties, particularly the elderly, people with disabilities, and children; services are based on the availability of funding.

Official page (thda.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Behavioral Health Safety Net (BHSN) for Adults

Who it is for

Tennessee residents 18 or older with a qualifying mental health diagnosis, household income at or below 138% of FPL, U.S. citizen or qualified alien, without private mental health coverage, determined ineligible for TennCare, and not in a long-term facility.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

CoverKids

Run by TennCare

Who it is for

Children under 19 and pregnant women who are Tennessee residents, are not eligible for or enrolled in TennCare, and have household income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (children must also be U.S. citizens or FFP-ENC).

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

CoverRx

Who it is for

Tennessee residents for six months, age 18-64, U.S. citizen or qualified legal alien, household income at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, with no other pharmacy coverage (such as TennCare or employer insurance) and no Medicare.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Crisis Services & Suicide Prevention (988, mobile crisis, walk-in centers)

Run by Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Who it is for

Services are designed to support individuals of all ages, in every part of Tennessee; mobile crisis response is available in all 95 counties.

When to apply

No fixed closing date when we checked.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Family Planning (Tennessee Department of Health)

Who it is for

Services are "available to everyone seeking information on reproductive health"; family planning clinical services are offered in all 95 counties across the state at each of the local health departments.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

TennCare Kids

Who it is for

Children from birth through age 20 who have TennCare.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

TennCare Presumptive Eligibility

Who it is for

Tennessee residents who are pregnant, or (under age 65) diagnosed with breast cancer, cervical cancer or certain precancerous conditions, with income below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level; U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or eligible immigration status.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program (TBCSP)

Who it is for

Tennessee residents with income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level who are uninsured or underinsured; 40+ years for breast and cervical cancer screening, 18+ years for breast or cervical diagnostics.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee REDLINE

Who it is for

Anyone - people and their families looking for help for substance use disorder and problem gambling ("Anyone can call or text 800-889-9789 for confidential referrals").

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine

Who it is for

Services provided through the QuitLine are free of charge to all residents of Tennessee.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Uninsured Adult Healthcare Safety Net (Office of Safety Net and Health Access)

Who it is for

Patients who are between 19 and 64 years of age, uninsured, live in Tennessee, and have an income at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Child Support Program

Who it is for

People having difficulty obtaining child support for their child(ren) or wishing to establish paternity; offices are located across the state in all 32 Judicial Districts.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)

Who it is for

Individuals and families whose household income is at or below 125% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Poverty Guidelines and who demonstrate a need for the service.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Who it is for

Victims of a crime that happened in Tennessee, dependents of a deceased victim, and certain family/household members; the crime must be reported within 15 days (unless minor or good cause) and the claim filed within two years of the crime.

Official page (treasury.tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Relative Caregiver Program (RCP)

Who it is for

Relative caregivers related to the child by blood, marriage, or adoption, with primary care and control of the child; the birth parent(s) do not reside in the caregiver's home; the stipend also requires a court-signed custody order, caregiver age 21 or older, and agreeing to seek child support.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee's Unclaimed Property Program (ClaimItTN.gov)

Run by Tennessee Department of Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division

Who it is for

Anyone owed money that banks, credit unions, utilities companies, governments, or other organizations reported as unclaimed in Tennessee because they could not locate the owner; individuals, joint owners, heirs and businesses.

Official page (treasury.tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Child Care Services / Child Care Payment Assistance (Smart Steps)

Who it is for

Families meeting income guideline criteria; Smart Steps: children ages 6 weeks through kindergarten, parents averaging 30 or more hours per week of work and/or education, household income at or below 85% of the State Median Income.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Head Start and Early Head Start (Tennessee Head Start State Collaboration Office)

Who it is for

Children ages 0-5 from eligible families.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Voluntary Pre-K (VPK)

Who it is for

Children who are 4 years old on or before the kindergarten cutoff date of the current school year and live in the geographic region served by the program; priority to children who are economically disadvantaged or have other identified at-risk characteristics.

Official page (kidcentraltn.com)Checked October 28, 2026

American Job Center Scholarships (WIOA Training Scholarship)

Who it is for

Training must be for an occupation listed on the targeted occupations list for Tennessee; scholarships are awarded based on applicant suitability, eligibility and the availability of training funds.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Apprenticeship TN (Registered Apprenticeship) - Apprentices

Who it is for

Individuals in Tennessee who want an apprenticeship: those already employed (talk with your employer) and those not employed (Apprenticeship TN can help you find the right employer).

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Find a Local American Job Center

Who it is for

All 95 Tennessee counties are served by an American Job Center; services for recent graduates, career changers, justice involved individuals, veterans, seniors 55 or older, migrant farm workers and youth.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) - Senior Work Experience Program

Who it is for

Applicants must be a legal resident of Tennessee, 55 years of age and older, unemployed, with a family income at no more than 125% of the federal poverty level.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T)

Who it is for

People who are at least 16 years old, receiving SNAP benefits, not receiving TANF (Families First) cash assistance, and willing and able to work upon program completion.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Adult Education (HiSET/GED preparation, ABE, IELCE)

Who it is for

People at least 18 years of age not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school who lack a high school diploma, need help with math, reading and writing, or struggle with English; 16- or 17-year-olds only under justifiable circumstances.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee HOPE Scholarship

Who it is for

Entering freshmen who are Tennessee residents, graduate from an eligible high school in Tennessee, enroll within sixteen (16) months at an eligible institution, and achieve a minimum 21 ACT or 1060 SAT or an overall minimum 3.0 GPA (exceptions listed).

Official page (collegefortn.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Reconnect Grant

Who it is for

Applicants must be a Tennessee resident; a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen; independent on the FAFSA or at least 23 years of age on or before January 1 of the academic year of initial enrollment; without a prior associate or baccalaureate degree.

Official page (tnreconnect.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA)

Who it is for

Tennessee residents (for dependent students, parents must also be Tennessee residents) with a FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) of 5000 or less, without a baccalaureate degree, enrolled at least half-time at an eligible Tennessee postsecondary institution.

Official page (collegefortn.org)Checked October 28, 2026

TN Promise scholarship

Run by Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)

Who it is for

Tennessee high school seniors (Class of 2027); usable at Tennessee's community colleges, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), and other eligible institutions.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Aging Nutrition Program (congregate and home-delivered meals)

Who it is for

Adults aged 60 and over in all 95 Tennessee counties; congregate meals are available to anyone 60 and over, as well as their spouses; home-delivered meal eligibility is assessed via an intake assessment.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

CHOICES (TennCare Long-Term Services & Supports)

Who it is for

Older adults (age 65 and older) and adults with physical disabilities (age 21 and older) who need nursing-home level of care or are at risk of it, and qualify financially (income no more than $2,982 per month for 2026; assets no more than $2,000, home excluded).

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Who it is for

Tennesseans residing in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, assisted care living facilities, homes for the aged and adult care homes, and their families.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

OPTIONS for Community Living (Home & Community Based Services)

Who it is for

Residents of Tennessee, eighteen (18) years of age or older, who meet Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) limitation requirements; no income eligibility requirement, but a sliding fee scale based on income.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program (TN SHIP)

Run by Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging

Who it is for

Tennessee's Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE TN)

Who it is for

An individual diagnosed with a disability on or before age 46 who resides in Tennessee and is eligible for SSI or SSDI, has a physician-diagnosed disability with marked and severe functional limitations expected to last at least 12 months, or has a condition on the SSA Compassionate Allowances list.

Official page (able.treasury.tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS)

Run by Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, with TEIS District Offices across the state

Who it is for

Families of infants and young children with developmental delays or disabilities in Tennessee.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program

Run by Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS)

Who it is for

Tennesseans with disabilities, including middle and high school age students, who are ready to prepare for independence through employment (and Tennessee businesses through the Business Services Unit).

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Helping Heroes Grant

Who it is for

Tennessee residents who are honorably discharged US veterans, or former or current members of a reserve or Tennessee National Guard unit called into active military service, awarded a listed medal (e.g. Iraq Campaign Medal), without a baccalaureate degree.

Official page (collegefortn.org)Checked October 28, 2026

State TA / TN STRONG Act tuition reimbursement

Who it is for

Currently serving members of the Tennessee National Guard in good standing, without a degree at the level sought, attending an eligible Tennessee institution (TCAT, community college, 4-year public university, or private school with primary campus in TN).

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee State Veterans Cemeteries (Veteran Burial Benefits)

Who it is for

Veterans and dependents; 'Veterans are buried at no charge. Eligible dependents are buried at no cost to the surviving family.' All applications are subject to eligibility verification.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee State Veterans' Homes (TSVH)

Who it is for

Honorably discharged veterans in need of a skilled level of care who meet at least one Tennessee tie (e.g. resident of Tennessee at admission, born in Tennessee); spouses or Gold-Star parents on a space-available basis.

Official page (tsvh.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Bridge Refugee Services (Knoxville and Chattanooga)

Who it is for

Refugees, humanitarian parolees, asylees, and entrants making Knoxville or Chattanooga their home; the employment program is for newcomers admitted to the US as refugees.

Official page (bridgerefugees.org)Checked October 28, 2026

NICE Immigration Services (Nashville International Center for Empowerment)

Who it is for

Refugees and immigrants (NICE serves refugees and immigrants in Nashville).

Official page (empowernashville.org)Checked October 28, 2026

HELP4TN Free Senior Legal Helpline (Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services)

Who it is for

Tennesseans; the Free Senior Legal Helpline offers confidential legal advice and information to all persons aged 60 and above regardless of income or assets.

Official page (help4tn.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET)

Who it is for

Older adults, families, and victims of abuse who qualify for free legal help, in the East Tennessee counties served by its offices (e.g. Knox, Loudon, and Sevier counties from Knoxville; 26 counties in its service area).

Official page (laet.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands

Who it is for

People in 48 counties in Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (county lists by office, e.g. Davidson, Williamson for Nashville); mission to serve low income and vulnerable people.

Official page (las.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS)

Who it is for

People in Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties; clients under age 60 generally within 125% of federal poverty income guidelines; persons 60 and over served under Older Americans Act Title III need not financially qualify.

Official page (malsi.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Property Tax Freeze

Who it is for

Homeowners who own their principal residence in a participating county and/or city (28 counties, 37 cities listed), are 65 or older by the end of the application year, and have income not exceeding the county income limit (2026 limits listed).

Official page (comptroller.tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Property Tax Relief

Who it is for

Low-income elderly and disabled homeowners, and disabled veteran homeowners or their surviving spouses, in Tennessee; relief only on the primary residence.

Official page (comptroller.tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

Handicap Parking Placard (Disabled Person License Plate, Placard, Decal)

Who it is for

People in Tennessee whose physician, Christian Science practitioner, or licensed physical therapist completes the Application for Disabled Person License Plate, Placard, Decal; a related article says another state's application is not accepted in TN.

Official page (revenue.support.tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

MATA Reduced Fare Program

Run by Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA)

Who it is for

Students enrolled in Memphis-Shelby County Schools, senior citizens 65 years and older, and people with disabilities, on MATA fixed-route bus and trolley services.

Official page (matatransit.com)Checked October 28, 2026

TennCare Transportation (Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Benefit)

Who it is for

TennCare members who do not have access to transportation; rides to any TennCare-covered service.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026

WeGo Discounted Fares / Discount ID

Run by WeGo Public Transit

Who it is for

Youth, seniors, persons with disabilities, and Medicare cardholders may be eligible for discounted fares on WeGo service (Youth ages 19 and younger, Seniors ages 65 and older); children 4 years of age and younger ride for free.

Documents to prepare

• If you have a disability: one document from the application's list (for example a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) letter, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) letter, or a parking placard with vehicle registration) or a professional's verification
• If you have Medicare: a copy of your Medicare card plus a government- or state-issued ID or a driver's license
• Age 65 or older, or youth age 6 to 19: one proof such as an ID, a driver's license, a birth certificate, or a passport

Official page (wegotransit.com)Checked November 4, 2026

HCS EdConnect, Powered by EPB

Who it is for

Hamilton County Schools students whose child receives free or reduced lunch, attends a school where all students receive free or reduced lunch, or whose household is enrolled in state economic assistance programs (i.e. SNAP); includes HCS Pre-K sites.

Official page (edconnect.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Pathway Lending Small Business Lending (Tennessee CDFI)

Who it is for

Established Tennessee small businesses (at least one year old, located in Tennessee) seeking to grow or expand; it specializes in borrowers in rural or low income areas, veterans and women entrepreneurs.

Official page (pathwaylending.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) Consulting

Who it is for

Business owners and people starting a business in Tennessee counties (county selector lists all counties); services are provided in a nondiscriminatory way to all legal residents and citizens in the US.

Official page (tsbdc.org)Checked October 28, 2026

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) in Tennessee

Who it is for

Individuals whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster and who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance (UI); DUA applies once approved for an individual's county.

Official page (tn.gov)Checked October 28, 2026