Sarasota County, spanning Sarasota and Venice along the Gulf coast, has two DCF service center locations and a dedicated housing authority for each major city.
Assistance available in Sarasota County
🛒 SNAP Food Stamps
SNAP provides monthly food benefits on an EBT card. Florida households generally qualify with gross income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, with deductions for housing, child care, and medical costs for elderly or disabled household members reducing countable income further.
Sarasota County applicants apply through ACCESS Florida online, by mail, or in person at the Sarasota One Stop Service Center, with a second location (Venice One Stop) in Venice.
🩺 Medicaid
Florida Medicaid income limits vary sharply by category — children and pregnant women qualify at higher income levels than parents or other adults, since Florida has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Seniors and people with disabilities may qualify through separate long-term care pathways with different rules.
Sarasota County Medicaid applications are processed through the Sarasota One Stop Service Center, or online via ACCESS Florida.
🏠 Housing Assistance
The Sarasota Housing Authority, located at 269 S. Osprey Ave, manages public housing for the Sarasota area, while the Venice Housing Authority (201 Grove Street N) and Punta Gorda Housing Authority in neighboring Charlotte County serve the southern part of the region.
Waitlists for Section 8 vouchers commonly close for extended periods due to high demand. Check directly with the housing authority for current waitlist status before assuming a program is unavailable.
💵 Cash Assistance (TCA)
Temporary Cash Assistance provides monthly payments to families with children under 18 (or under 19 if a full-time high school student). Households must have countable assets at or below $2,000, and adults face a lifetime limit of 48 months of benefits with work or job-training requirements unless exempt.
Sarasota County TCA applications go through the Sarasota One Stop Service Center and the ACCESS Florida system, same as SNAP and Medicaid.
Sarasota County contact information
Sarasota One Stop Service Center
1864 17th Street, Sarasota, FL 34234
Sarasota County is served by two centers: Sarasota (1864 17th Street) and Venice (897 East Venice Avenue).
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (call ahead to confirm)
Statewide Contact Numbers
ACCESS Customer Call Center: 1-850-300-4323
General DCF/SNAP helpline: 1-866-762-2237
Elder & disability long-term care (Medicaid): 1-800-963-5337
Florida Relay (deaf/hard of hearing): 711
How to apply for benefits in Sarasota County
- Create an ACCESS Florida account at myflorida.com/accessflorida to apply for SNAP, Medicaid, or Temporary Cash Assistance online.
- Gather documents — photo ID, proof of income (pay stubs or benefit letters), proof of residency, and Social Security numbers for household members.
- Complete the interview — most applications include a phone interview with a DCF caseworker serving Sarasota County.
- For housing assistance, contact Sarasota Housing Authority directly — this is a separate application from ACCESS Florida.
- Watch for your decision and renewal notices — most certification periods last 6–12 months, and DCF mails a renewal reminder before they expire.