Benefits & Financial Assistance
Use these pathways to begin a benefits question, locate community assistance, or connect with responder-focused support. Each program sets its own eligibility rules.
A clear process
Start with the immediate concern: benefits, a short-term hardship, a utility bill, housing, food, or family support.
Bring only what the program asks for. Income, service role, location, and timing requirements can differ by provider.
Write down the program, contact method, date, and any requested next step so follow-up is easier.
Resource links
These links lead directly to established support organizations. Confirm current eligibility, applications, and availability with the provider.
Local emergency assistance
BCCA provides emergency financial assistance for Blount County residents facing utility shutoffs, housing instability, food insecurity, and other immediate needs. Also administers LIHEAP energy assistance and weatherization programs.
Blount County residents; income and program-specific eligibility requirements apply. Contact BCCA directly to confirm current program availability.
Local community referral
Dial 211 to reach a live navigator who can connect you with Blount County food pantries, utility assistance, rent help, childcare subsidies, and other local programs. Available in English and Spanish.
All Blount County residents. Free service.
Local hardship grants & referrals
The local United Way chapter funds emergency assistance programs across Blount County, including rent and utility help, food access, and crisis intervention. Connects residents with vetted local nonprofits.
Blount County residents in financial hardship. Eligibility varies by program.
Local food assistance
Second Harvest operates food distribution sites throughout Blount County. First responders facing food insecurity can access pantry locations, mobile distributions, and the SNAP enrollment assistance program.
Any Blount County resident in need. No income verification required at most distribution sites.
Local housing assistance
Administers Section 8 housing choice vouchers and public housing for eligible Blount County residents. Also connects applicants with emergency rental assistance and housing stability programs.
Blount County residents meeting income and household size requirements. Waitlists may apply.
Credit union & financial services
TSECU provides banking, low-interest loans, and financial services to Tennessee state and local government employees, including Blount County first responders. Offers emergency loans, auto loans, and retirement accounts.
Tennessee state and local government employees and their families. Confirm membership eligibility directly with TSECU.
Public employee pension & retirement
TCRS administers pension and retirement benefits for Tennessee public employees, including Blount County law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel. Covers retirement income, disability retirement, and survivor benefits.
Tennessee public employees enrolled in TCRS through their employing agency.
State survivor death benefit
Tennessee provides a $150,000 lump-sum death benefit to survivors of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel killed in the line of duty. Administered by the Tennessee Department of Treasury.
Surviving spouses, children, or designated beneficiaries of Tennessee first responders killed in the line of duty.
Federal death & disability benefit
Administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, PSOB provides a one-time financial benefit to survivors of public safety officers killed in the line of duty and to officers permanently and totally disabled by a line-of-duty injury.
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. Claims filed through the Bureau of Justice Assistance with strict deadlines.
On-duty injury & illness coverage
Tennessee workers compensation covers medical treatment and wage replacement for first responders injured on duty. Includes presumptive coverage for certain cancers and cardiovascular conditions under Tennessee law.
Tennessee first responders injured or diagnosed in the line of duty. File through your agency's HR or risk management office.
Disability retirement income
TCRS provides disability retirement benefits to Tennessee public employees, including first responders, who become permanently disabled and unable to perform their duties. Covers both ordinary and accidental (line-of-duty) disability.
TCRS-enrolled Tennessee public employees with a qualifying disability. Application filed through your agency and TCRS.
Homeownership assistance
A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program offering law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMTs a 50% discount on the list price of eligible HUD-owned homes in designated revitalization areas.
Full-time law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMTs employed by a government agency. Must commit to living in the home as a primary residence for 36 months.
First responder financial services
USAA offers banking, insurance, investments, and financial planning products with rates and programs designed for military members, veterans, and first responders. Includes auto and home insurance, personal loans, and retirement accounts.
Active and retired military, veterans, and eligible first responders. Eligibility for specific products confirmed during enrollment.
Food & family assistance
The Blount County Tennessee Department of Human Services office processes SNAP (food stamps), Families First (TANF), and childcare assistance applications. First responders facing financial hardship may qualify.
Tennessee residents meeting income and household requirements. Apply online or in person at the Maryville DHS office.
Utility bill assistance
Federally funded program that helps eligible Tennessee households pay heating and cooling bills. Administered locally through BCCA. Applications open seasonally -- contact BCCA to check current availability.
Blount County households meeting income guidelines (typically 150% of federal poverty level). Apply through Blount County CAA.
Survivor & hardship grants
NFFF provides financial assistance grants to surviving families of fallen firefighters and supports active firefighters facing critical hardship. Also connects families with benefits navigation and peer support.
Surviving spouses, children, and dependents of firefighters who died in the line of duty. Hardship programs have separate eligibility criteria.
Survivor financial support
C.O.P.S. connects surviving family members of officers killed in the line of duty with financial assistance programs, death benefits navigation, and scholarship opportunities for surviving children.
Surviving spouses, children, and family members of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
Volunteer responder support
A national resource hub for volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue personnel, including benefit and financial-support guidance, length-of-service award programs, and grant resources for volunteer departments.
Volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue personnel; individual programs may have additional requirements.
Unclaimed funds search
Tennessee's official unclaimed property database allows residents to search for forgotten bank accounts, insurance proceeds, utility deposits, and other unclaimed funds held by the state. Free to search and claim.
Any Tennessee resident or former resident.
Peer financial support & education
FRSN offers financial wellness resources, peer-led workshops, and referrals to help first responders and their families manage the financial pressures that come with the job, including disability transitions and retirement planning.
Active and retired first responders and their immediate family members.
This network is not emergency dispatch. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger or needs emergency response.
