Athens, Texas
4 places of utility bills and rent help in Athens. Each listing shows the day we checked it, and anything we could not confirm says call first.
Emergency financial help and referrals through the HELP Line, mostly for utility bills and emergency medication. Neighbors are screened for documented need, and help is not guaranteed. You can fill out the form on the website or call.
State-funded help with electric and gas or propane heating and cooling bills, plus weatherization. It is usually one-time help for households at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, which in 2026 is $49,500 a year for a family of four. Priority goes to people who are elderly or disabled, families with a child under 6, and working families. It does not pay rent or water bills. There is no online application: download the paper form at get-cap.org and bring or email it, or book an appointment at 936-720-7474. Bring ID and proof of all income from the last 30 days. Decisions can take 60 to 90 days, and GETCAP says to keep paying your bills while you wait.
Call first. There is no GETCAP office in Henderson County. The Tyler office is the closest, and its hours are not published. The state lists GETCAP as the provider for Henderson County, but GETCAP's own services page does not name the county, so please call to confirm.
Case management and, for some households, help with rent through the Community Services Block Grant. Help is not guaranteed and only a limited number of applications are taken. Applications are taken in set windows by email or mail, not walk-in. You will need ID, Social Security cards for everyone in the household, 30 days of income, and a termination of services notice, which the application requires.
Call first. Applications are taken only in short windows. The 2026 window was October 5, so please call to ask when the next one opens.
A veteran resource center that says it serves all of East Texas. It helps with VA benefits and claims, home loans, counseling and housing, and offers free rides to medical appointments. Its Direct Assistance Program, by appointment only, can help veterans with rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, internet and phone, car payments and repairs, and groceries. Bring your DD214 or military ID, the bill, and a current bank statement. Veterans with a dishonorable, bad conduct or entry-level discharge are not eligible.
Call first. Hours are not published, and Henderson County is not named in its service area, so please call first.
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We have confirmed 4 places that can help in Athens: Henderson County HELP Center (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM), (903) 675-4357; GETCAP, energy assistance (Tyler office), (903) 962-2670, call first; Community Services, Inc., rent and case management (Corsicana) (Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Toll-free: 800-831-9929), (903) 872-2401, call first. 1 more is listed on this page. Please call first to confirm the ones marked call first. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.
If you run a pantry or program, or saw a listing that is wrong, tell us. We check every message against the organization's own page before anything changes.