A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide
A calm, practical place to begin when a home, relationship, or safety concern feels hard to hold alone.
Start here - Fight the Blight
You do not need to solve everything at once. Begin with Fight the Blight, then use the local pathways below for safety, health, housing, benefits, transportation, legal questions, and practical support.
If there is immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, violence, or an active threat, call 911. For emotional distress or a suicide or substance-use crisis, call or text 988. These guides are independent resource listings, not endorsements, emergency response, clinical care, or a promise of availability.
First conversations
You do not need to know the perfect service name before reaching out. These organizations can help you understand the landscape and identify a next step.
The Peer Tree is the private-pay pathway for organizing help, decluttering support, groups, family guidance, and practical next steps when a grant or public program is not the right fit.
Unburied, from The Peer Tree, offers a judgment-free digital pathway with peer support, groups, and tools for people directly affected and for friends, family, property managers, municipal workers, and other supporters.
211 Virginia connects people with current local resources for housing, food, health care, utilities, transportation, mental health, and other needs. Ask for options serving Amherst County.
Horizon Behavioral Health's Amherst wellness center lists outpatient therapy, case management, medication management, and financial interviews. Confirm the current intake pathway directly.
The Amherst County Health Department provides local public-health and environmental-health services. Call before visiting to confirm current services, hours, and appointments.
Centra Lynchburg General Hospital is a regional acute-care and emergency pathway for serious medical or behavioral-health emergencies affecting Amherst County. Call 911 for immediate danger.
Safety and stability
These pathways serve different situations. Read the labels carefully before calling, especially when a response may involve crisis care, protective services, shelter, housing rules, legal advocacy, or emergency dispatch.
Call 911 when life, property, or immediate safety is at risk. Tell the dispatcher the location, what is happening, and any known hazards or access concerns.
Call or text 988 for emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or a substance-use crisis. Call 911 for immediate physical danger or a medical emergency.
Amherst County's public-safety system coordinates dispatch for the sheriff, town police, fire, rescue, and animal-control responders. Call 911 for an emergency.
The county public-safety pages identify emergency communications, local response agencies, and non-emergency routing. Use 911 when there is immediate danger.
Amherst Town Police is the municipal law-enforcement contact for incidents in town. Call 911 for immediate danger and use the town's current contact information for non-emergency questions.
The Sheriff's Office is the county law-enforcement contact for Amherst County. Use the current non-emergency contact for reports or questions and call 911 for immediate danger.
Amherst County's public-safety information identifies local fire and rescue responders. Call 911 rather than a station when emergency medical, fire, or rescue help is needed.
Amherst County's public-safety system links residents to emergency-management and preparedness information for severe weather, fire, hazardous materials, and other hazards.
Virginia Emergency Management provides preparedness and disaster information for severe weather, evacuation, utility interruption, and other hazards.
Use VDOT's current road and travel information for closures, debris, snow, and other transportation issues affecting Amherst County.
Use the Virginia Adult Protective Services hotline when an adult may be experiencing abuse, neglect, or exploitation and immediate 911 response is not required.
Use the Virginia Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline when a child may be unsafe and an immediate 911 response is not required.
Call the poison center for urgent guidance after a possible ingestion, overdose, chemical exposure, or bite. Call 911 for collapse or breathing trouble.
Call Virginia's statewide hotline for confidential support, safety planning, and referrals related to family violence or sexual assault.
Use Amherst County Community Development for building, property-safety, permit, inspection, and zoning questions. Immediate hazards belong on 911.
Use the county's published non-emergency public-safety routing for questions that do not require an immediate response. Call 911 when there is immediate danger.
People and practical help
These listings connect the local community with housing, food, behavioral health, benefits, transit, survivor advocacy, disability support, peer support, and practical resources. Ask about current availability, cost, scope, consent, and safety before relying on them.
Amherst County Social Services lists adult and child protective services, emergency assistance and shelter, energy assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and employment services.
CommonHelp is Virginia's online benefits application pathway. Amherst residents can apply online or ask Social Services for application help.
The Central Virginia Continuum of Care directs people who are homeless or may lose housing within three days to Coordinated Homeless Intake and Access.
CVACL lists emergency home accessibility and repair, weatherization, and Senior Cool Care assistance for eligible residents of Amherst and nearby counties.
United Way's Community Connector serves Amherst County and helps residents navigate local support options by phone or in person.
211 Virginia lists Emmanuel United Methodist Church as an emergency food-assistance pathway for families residing in Amherst County. Confirm current hours and eligibility before visiting.
Amherst County Public Library's Amherst branch provides books, internet, digital resources, research help, and community information at 382 South Main Street.
Amherst County Public Schools provides school, student-support, transportation, food, and family contacts for children and youth in the county.
Virginia's School Quality Profiles provide public information about Amherst County schools. Use the school division and individual-school pages for current enrollment and support contacts.
Virginia Cooperative Extension's Amherst office offers practical education and local family, consumer, agriculture, and natural-resources programming. Confirm current classes and contacts.
Amherst County Parks and Recreation provides parks, trails, and activities that may support connection and practical community participation. Confirm current programs and access details.
Amherst County operates convenience centers in Amherst, Gladstone, Elon, and Lowesville and publishes current locations and disposal information. Confirm hours and accepted materials before transporting items.
The county landfill at 715 Kentmoor Farm Road provides a disposal pathway for eligible materials. Check current hours, fees, and accepted items before a trip.
The Amherst County Service Authority is the local water and wastewater utility contact. Ask about service, billing, leaks, and current customer assistance.
Use the cooperative's current outage and storm information for utility interruptions affecting Amherst County. Treat downed lines as dangerous and call 911 when there is an immediate threat.
The Amherst Circuit Court and Clerk provide local court contacts, records, forms, and process information. Court staff cannot provide legal advice; contact an attorney for legal interpretation.
Legal Aid Works may help qualifying households with civil legal matters affecting housing, safety, benefits, or family stability. Confirm the current issue and income guidelines before relying on a referral.
Virginia Housing provides statewide housing-finance and rental resources. Pair this with local Social Services and the Central Virginia CoC for current housing pathways.
USDA Rural Development provides rural housing and community-program information that may apply to eligible Amherst County households. Confirm property, income, and program requirements directly.
Virginia Works helps job seekers and employers find workforce centers, training, job matching, and labor-market information. Check the current center locator before visiting.
DARS provides disability and vocational-rehabilitation pathways that may support independent living, employment, and access needs. Confirm current district intake and eligibility.
Virginia Medicaid members can review non-emergency transportation options and booking rules through the state transportation page. Call 911 for a medical emergency.
Virginia's Department of Veterans Services helps veterans and eligible family members navigate benefits, claims, employment, behavioral health, housing, and related services. Confirm the nearest current office or representative.
Virginia's energy-assistance programs may help eligible households with heating, cooling, fuel, crisis, or weatherization needs. Apply through CommonHelp or ask Amherst Social Services about the current program window.
Amherst County's official department and staff directory is a central starting point for local offices and contacts. Use 911 for immediate danger and call offices to confirm current hours and routing.
The Town of Amherst contact page provides current routing for town administration, police, building, and public services at 174 South Main Street.
Amherst residents can ask 211 Virginia or United Way's Community Connector for current community-action, food, housing, utility, and practical support options serving the county.
Virginia Works and 211 Virginia can route Amherst residents to current regional workforce centers, training, transportation, and employment supports.
Amherst County's public-safety pages route animal-control concerns, including bites, rabies, welfare, and shelter questions. Call 911 for immediate human danger.
Virginia Cooperative Extension can help residents find practical local education related to food, nutrition, family and consumer sciences, agriculture, and natural resources.
The county directory, library, 211 Virginia, and United Way can help residents locate current volunteer, faith, food, and community-connection opportunities without assuming endorsement by this guide.
A note from the Alliance
This guide is anchored in Amherst, Virginia, and includes city, county, state, nonprofit, national, and independent pathways. A listing here does not mean Fight the Blight endorses every provider or can guarantee availability. The Hoarding Alliance is not a city or county agency, therapy practice, emergency service, or cleanup company. We will keep reviewing this page, but please confirm details directly before relying on them.
Need help choosing a path? Contact Fight the Blight