Washington County Council on Aging operates from 1348 South Boulevard, Chipley, FL 32428 (next to the Washington County Health Department), with phone numbers 850-638-6216 or 850-638-6217.
The mission of WCCOA focuses on empowering older adults in Washington County to live healthy, independent, and connected lives in their communities through nutrition, care, education, and social support services.
WCCOA provides essential services to help seniors (primarily those aged 60 and older) remain independent and avoid institutionalization.
It targets Washington County residents who are frail, homebound, food-insecure, living with chronic conditions (such as Alzheimer’s), or facing challenges like transportation or energy costs. Services also support caregivers and include some overlap with neighboring Holmes County.
Core services include:
Nutrition programs (Title III Older Americans Act-funded): Congregate dining with free hot lunches Monday–Friday at 11:30 a.m. (reservations required by 10 a.m.), Meals on Wheels delivery for homebound individuals, emergency shelf-stable meal distributions, and nutrition education sessions (e.g., “Food Smarts” workshops).
In-home and long-term care: Home Care for the Elderly (HCE), Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative (ADI), Community Care for the Elderly (CCE), assistance with medical costs, and 24-hour care/supervision options for eligible frail elders.
Health, safety, and education: Ongoing senior exercise/fitness classes (strength, balance, flexibility, and mobility; e.g., “Hive Steppers” or movement-with-purpose sessions held Mondays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Chipley), AARP Driver Safety Courses (with potential insurance discounts), Parkinson’s disease informational programs, and senior resource expos.
Additional support: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) free tax prep (typically February–April), energy assistance referrals (e.g., Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly/EHEAP via partners), emergency preparedness (including hurricane meal kits), and community connections like birthday celebrations and volunteer recognition.
The organization emphasizes fellowship, social activities, and holistic well-being, with the goal of keeping seniors “supported, not just with meals but with care and connection.”
WCCOA is an independent nonprofit but functions as a contracted provider agency under the Advantage Aging Solutions (also referred to as the Area Agency on Aging for North Florida/AAANF in some records), which serves as the designated Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) for Planning and Service Area (PSA) 2 in Florida’s Panhandle and Big Bend region.
Advantage Aging Solutions is itself funded by the federal Older Americans Act (via Title III and related programs) and Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) state general revenue. Holmes County Council on Aging sometimes acts as the lead agency for certain programs in Washington County.
Funding is predominantly governmental grants and contributions (about 91% of revenue). In FY 2024, total revenue was approximately $493,469 (down from prior years), with $451,669 from grants/contributions (including $120,010 from the Area Agency on Aging) and $41,800 from program services.
Expenses totaled $485,110, with total assets around $56,210. It has about 16 employees and relies heavily on volunteers. Additional support comes from local foundations, donations, and partnerships (e.g., Florida Power & Light).
Activities run continuously with a focus on nutrition, health, and community engagement, supplemented by seasonal and one-off events:
Ongoing/weekly: Congregate meals and social dining, exercise classes, in-home care delivery, and drop-in support.
Monthly/seasonal: Nutrition education, birthday celebrations, holiday meals (e.g., Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, Christmas), and awareness campaigns (e.g., Parkinson’s in April).
Annual/special: VITA tax preparation (Feb–Apr), AARP Driver Safety courses, Senior Resource Expo, MLK Jr. Day of Service (January), Easter/spring events, and emergency preparedness distributions.
Recent examples include fitness classes for strength and connection, Parkinson’s informational sessions with local home-care providers, and energy-efficiency upgrades (e.g., new LED lighting via FPL partnership that also saves the organization money for programs).
WCCOA uses Facebook at www.facebook.com/councilonaging to regularly posts event flyers, videos of activities (e.g., exercise sessions, holiday meals), volunteer spotlights (including recognition by Advantage Aging Solutions), birthday announcements, and awareness campaigns. It serves as the primary public-facing platform for RSVPs, updates, and community engagement.
