A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Blackshear, Georgia.

Start with a respectful next step in Blackshear or elsewhere in Pierce County. This guide connects people, families, supporters, and local systems with practical pathways while keeping emergencies and clinical care in the right lane.

People first.Then the stuff.A Fight the Blight initiative

Start here - Fight the Blight

A calm place to begin

You do not have to solve everything at once. Start with the pathway that fits the situation, then confirm current availability, eligibility, cost, and safety requirements directly with the organization.

For immediate danger

If there is immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, or an active threat, call 911. For emotional or behavioral-health crisis support in Georgia, call or text 988 or call the Georgia Crisis & Access Line at 1-800-715-4225.

First conversations

A few good places to start

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.

Private-pay hoarding support, organizing help, groups, and family guidance - broader service area; scope, cost, scheduling, travel, consent, safety, and capacity rules apply; not emergency care

The Peer Tree

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. Ask about scope, cost, travel, consent, safety, and whether support is available in Blackshear or Pierce County.

Digital peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns - online; current access and eligibility should be confirmed; not therapy or emergency support

Unburied

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. It is not therapy, a crisis service, or a substitute for emergency help.

Confidential resource navigation for food, housing, health care, transportation, crisis support, and basic needs - Georgia and nationwide; provider, eligibility, and availability rules apply; not emergency dispatch

211

211 connects people with local resource navigators for basic needs and community support. Ask which current Pierce County resource fits the situation and what documentation or service-area rules apply; call 911 for immediate danger.

Official local public-health, prevention, WIC, and health-information pathway - 715 Ware Street, Blackshear; appointments, fees, insurance, and eligibility vary; not emergency care

Pierce County Health Department

The Southeast Health District publishes the Pierce County Health Department at 715 Ware Street in Blackshear. Confirm current services, hours, eligibility, fees, and appointment needs before traveling; call 911 for emergencies.

Safety and stability

When the concern involves safety, housing, or crisis

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.

Emergency dispatch for immediate danger, fire, medical emergency, or active threat - Blackshear and Pierce County; emergency use only

911

Call 911 when someone is in immediate danger, a fire or medical emergency is happening, violence is occurring, or emergency responders are needed. A hoarding or housing concern that is not immediately dangerous may need a planned county, housing, or support response instead.

Free, confidential emotional-distress and suicide-crisis support - Georgia and nationwide; 24/7; not fire, EMS, or police dispatch

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 for emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or a behavioral-health crisis. If there is immediate physical danger, fire, a medical emergency, or an active threat, call 911 instead.

24/7/365 statewide behavioral-health crisis access, mobile-crisis referral, urgent appointments, and provider navigation - Georgia including Pierce County; not a substitute for 911 in immediate danger

Georgia Crisis & Access Line

GCAL can provide telephone intervention, help identify state-funded or other behavioral-health services, dispatch mobile crisis, and help locate an open crisis or detox bed. Call 911 for immediate physical danger or an emergency requiring police, fire, or EMS.

Official local emergency-management and hazard-coordination pathway - Pierce County; preparedness and routine coordination only; call 911 for emergencies

Pierce County Emergency Management Agency

Pierce County publishes emergency-management coordination through its Fire Department and EMA contacts for hazard preparedness, warning, response, and recovery information affecting Blackshear and the county. Use it for planning and recovery questions, not as a replacement for 911.

Official county fire, emergency-management, and public-safety pathway - Pierce County; call 911 for active fire, rescue, medical emergency, or immediate danger

Pierce County Fire Department and EMA

The Pierce County department directory identifies Fire Department and EMA coordination at 912-449-2041. Use the routine contact for preparedness or non-emergency questions; call 911 for an active fire, rescue need, medical emergency, or immediate danger.

Official county emergency-medical and 911 communications pathway - Pierce County; non-emergency inquiries should not delay 911

Pierce County EMS and E-911

Pierce County publishes EMS and E-911 contacts and directs residents to call 911 for emergencies. Use the routine county contact only for appropriate administrative or non-emergency questions; call 911 when urgent responders are needed.

Official municipal fire and first-responder pathway - 219 Nichols Street, Blackshear; call 911 for fire, rescue, or medical emergencies

Blackshear Fire Department

The City of Blackshear publishes its fire department at 219 Nichols Street. Use routine contact for appropriate non-emergency information and preparedness questions; call 911 for an active fire, rescue need, medical emergency, or immediate danger.

Official county law-enforcement and public-safety pathway - 300 Pierce Industrial Boulevard, Blackshear; routine jurisdiction and response rules apply; call 911 for emergencies

Pierce County Sheriff's Office

The Pierce County Sheriff's Office publishes law-enforcement contact information for county residents. Use routine contact for appropriate non-emergency questions or reports; call 911 for immediate danger, an active threat, or a crime in progress.

Official municipal law-enforcement and routine public-safety pathway - Blackshear; city jurisdiction and response rules apply; call 911 for emergencies

Blackshear Police Department

The City of Blackshear publishes police contacts for reports, citations, records, and department services. Use routine contact for appropriate non-emergency information; call 911 for immediate danger or a police emergency.

Regional 24/7 hospital emergency-care pathway - 1900 Tebeau Street, Waycross; clinical triage, coverage, payment, and hospital rules apply; call 911 for life-threatening emergencies

Memorial Satilla Health Emergency Room

Memorial Satilla Health publishes a 24/7 emergency department in nearby Waycross serving southeast Georgia, with emergency evaluation, imaging, and stabilization services. Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency and confirm transportation, coverage, and payment questions for non-emergency care.

Official local public-health, prevention, WIC, and health-information pathway - 715 Ware Street, Blackshear; appointments, fees, insurance, and eligibility vary; not emergency care

Pierce County Health Department

The Southeast Health District publishes the local health department and current operating hours. Confirm services, appointment needs, fees, and eligibility before traveling; it is not an emergency department.

Report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an older adult or adult with a disability - Georgia including Pierce County; intake and investigation rules apply; call 911 if someone is in immediate danger

Georgia Adult Protective Services

Georgia APS receives reports involving older adults and adults with disabilities who may be abused, neglected, or exploited. Use the statewide intake route; APS is not emergency dispatch and does not guarantee cleanup or housing placement.

Report suspected child abuse or neglect - Georgia including Pierce County; intake and assessment rules apply; call 911 if a child is in immediate danger

Georgia Child Protective Services

Use Georgia's CPS central-intake route when there is a concern about child abuse or neglect. This is a reporting and assessment pathway, not emergency response; call 911 for immediate danger.

Statewide confidential domestic-violence crisis, safety-planning, and advocacy navigation - Georgia including Pierce County; shelter and capacity rules apply; call 911 for immediate danger

Georgia Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline

Georgia's statewide domestic-violence hotline can help survivors and supporters identify safety-planning, advocacy, and shelter options. Ask about current services serving Pierce County; it is not general emergency dispatch.

Qualified regional behavioral-health and substance-use network serving Pierce County through Georgia DBHDD; intake, eligibility, referral, coverage, and capacity rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Unison Behavioral Health

Georgia DBHDD identifies Unison Behavioral Health as the community service board serving Pierce County and nearby counties. Confirm current local intake, service scope, eligibility, and capacity; use GCAL, 988, or 911 as appropriate in crisis.

Free, confidential poison-exposure advice - Georgia including Pierce County; call 911 for collapse, breathing trouble, seizure, fire, or immediate danger

Georgia Poison Center

The Georgia Poison Center publishes a 24/7 helpline for possible poison exposures involving medicines, products, plants, or other substances. Call 911 for collapse, breathing difficulty, seizure, fire, or another immediate emergency.

People and practical help

Housing, food, care, transportation, and ongoing support

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.

County-government, public meetings, courts, records, roads, emergency management, permits, taxes, and local-service pathway - 312 Nichols Street, Blackshear; office, jurisdiction, and process rules apply; not emergency response

Pierce County Government

Pierce County's official site identifies Blackshear as the county seat and routes residents to county administration, public safety, courts, records, roads, taxes, and local services. Confirm the responsible office and current hours before traveling or filing a request.

Municipal-government, city hall, water and sewer payments, codes, citations, public notices, and local-service pathway - 318 East Taylor Street, Blackshear; city jurisdiction and process rules apply; call 911 for emergencies

City of Blackshear

The City of Blackshear publishes municipal information, water and sewer payments, codes and ordinances, citation payments, and public notices. Confirm whether an address-specific concern belongs to the city or county before submitting a request.

Current county-office contact and service-navigation pathway for administration, courts, taxes, codes, roads, fire, EMS, recreation, and public safety - Blackshear; office and jurisdiction rules apply

Pierce County Department Directory

The county directory helps residents identify the right office for a local need, including planning and codes, roads, courts, taxes, fire and EMA, EMS, recreation, and public safety. Confirm the current department before sharing personal information.

County planning, zoning, code, property, and inspection pathway - Pierce County; address, jurisdiction, inspection, and enforcement rules apply; not emergency response

Pierce County Planning and Codes

Pierce County publishes Planning and Codes contacts for zoning, code, and property questions. Ask which authority applies to the address and what process, documents, or inspection rules are current; code staff are not a cleanup service.

Municipal public-works, water, sewer, streets, and local-service pathway - 211 Nichols Street, Blackshear; city jurisdiction, service, schedule, and payment rules apply

Blackshear Public Works

The City of Blackshear publishes Public Works at 211 Nichols Street for municipal public-works questions. Confirm whether a request concerns city infrastructure, an account, a road, or a private property issue; this is not a household cleanout service.

County civil, criminal, probate, real-estate, recording, filing, and court-navigation pathway - Blackshear; case, record, filing, identity, fee, deadline, and jurisdiction rules apply; not legal advice

Pierce County Clerk, Courts, and Records

The county department directory routes residents to Clerk of Court, Probate, Magistrate, Superior, and State Court contacts. Confirm current forms, filing requirements, fees, deadlines, and the appropriate court directly; court staff cannot provide legal advice.

County property-assessment, tax-billing, payment, exemptions, and appeal pathway - Blackshear; parcel, identity, fee, deadline, and office-process rules apply

Pierce County Tax Commissioner and Assessor

Pierce County publishes Tax Commissioner and Property Assessor contacts for property values, assessments, exemptions, tax payments, and appeals. Confirm the current office, parcel information, deadlines, and filing requirements directly.

Local benefits, child-welfare, SNAP, Medicaid, and TANF pathway - 621 Hendry Street, Blackshear; program eligibility, documentation, appointment, and processing rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Georgia Department of Human Services - Pierce County DFCS

Georgia DFCS publishes the Pierce County office for public-benefit and family-service navigation. Ask about current SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, child-welfare, and application requirements; call 911 if a child or adult is in immediate danger.

State benefits application and eligibility pathway for SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, and related programs - Georgia; eligibility, identity, documentation, and processing rules apply

Georgia Gateway

Georgia Gateway is the state's online route for applying for and managing several public benefits. Use the official site to check program information and application status; local availability and eligibility must be confirmed through the program.

Local prevention, WIC, immunization, family-health, environmental-health, and public-health information pathway - 715 Ware Street, Blackshear; appointment, fee, insurance, and eligibility rules apply

Pierce County Health Department and WIC

The Southeast Health District publishes Pierce County public-health and WIC information. Ask what is offered locally, what documents are needed, and whether an appointment is required; this is not emergency care.

Regional hospital, emergency, inpatient, rehabilitation, laboratory, imaging, and health-care pathway serving Pierce County from Waycross; appointments, coverage, payment, and clinical-triage rules apply

Memorial Satilla Health

Memorial Satilla Health publishes a 231-bed full-service hospital in nearby Waycross with emergency, inpatient, rehabilitation, laboratory, imaging, and other care pathways. Confirm the right department, coverage, accessibility, and payment before traveling; call 911 for life-threatening emergencies.

Georgia resource-finding pathway for food, health, housing, transportation, benefits, and basic needs - Pierce County and statewide; listing, eligibility, cost, and capacity rules vary

Find Help Georgia

Find Help Georgia provides a search and navigation route for local and statewide assistance. Use it to identify possible options, then confirm current service area, eligibility, cost, accessibility, and availability directly with the organization.

State food-assistance information pathway for SNAP and related nutrition programs - Georgia including Pierce County; eligibility, application, documentation, and processing rules apply

Georgia Food and Nutrition Assistance

Georgia's official food-assistance route helps residents understand nutrition-program options and how to apply. Use Georgia Gateway or the local DFCS office for current case-specific questions.

Statewide food-bank and food-assistance navigation pathway serving Pierce County through regional food-bank partners; distribution schedules, eligibility, and capacity vary; not emergency dispatch

Feeding Georgia

Feeding Georgia provides a route to food assistance through regional food-bank partners. Confirm current distribution sites, hours, documentation, and household rules directly before traveling.

Aging, disability, caregiver, long-term-care, meals, transportation, and benefits-navigation pathway serving Pierce County; screening, eligibility, service-area, and capacity rules apply

Southern Georgia Regional Commission Aging and Disability Services

The Southern Georgia Regional Commission provides regional aging and disability planning and ADRC navigation for southeast Georgia. Ask about current in-home supports, meals, caregiver help, transportation, assistive technology, and benefits screening; it is not emergency dispatch.

Regional public-transit and transportation-navigation pathway for southeast Georgia; service area, reservation, fare, accessibility, and schedule rules apply

Southern Georgia Regional Commission Transportation

The Southern Georgia Regional Commission publishes regional transportation information that may help residents plan rides to health care, benefits, and other services. Confirm current eligibility, reservation timing, pickup area, accessibility, and fare before relying on a trip.

Non-emergency medical transportation information pathway for eligible Georgia Medicaid members; authorization, medical-necessity, reservation, region, and ride rules apply; not emergency transport

Georgia Medicaid Transportation

Georgia Medicaid publishes non-emergency medical transportation information for eligible members. Confirm current region, prior-authorization, reservation, accessibility, and ride rules; call 911 for an emergency.

Statewide rental and housing-search pathway for Georgia including Pierce County; listing accuracy, screening, income, deposit, and availability rules apply

Georgia Housing Search

Georgia Housing Search helps people look for rental housing and related housing information. Listings can change and do not guarantee acceptance, affordability, accessibility, or availability; confirm all terms directly with the property or program.

State housing-program and housing-navigation pathway - Georgia including rural communities; program, waitlist, income, documentation, and availability rules apply

Georgia Department of Community Affairs Housing

Georgia DCA publishes housing programs and information that may help residents identify rental assistance, housing-choice, and community-development pathways. Confirm whether a program serves Pierce County and whether applications or waitlists are open.

Civil-legal information and possible representation for eligible low-income Georgians; intake, income, case-type, conflict, and capacity rules apply; not emergency response

Georgia Legal Services Program

Georgia Legal Services provides a route for eligible low-income Georgians to seek civil-legal information and possible representation. Ask about current service area, case type, income rules, conflicts, and capacity; it does not provide emergency, medical, fire, or cleanup response.

Employment, rehabilitation, and disability-support pathway - Georgia including Pierce County; eligibility, assessment, documentation, and program-capacity rules apply

Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation

Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation provides a route for eligible people with disabilities who want help preparing for, obtaining, or keeping employment. Confirm current intake, assessment, accommodations, and eligibility directly.

Employment, workforce, unemployment, and job-search pathway - Georgia including Pierce County; program, identity, filing, and eligibility rules apply

Georgia Department of Labor

Georgia DOL provides workforce and unemployment information, job-search tools, and local-office navigation. Confirm current services, appointments, and documentation before traveling or filing.

Veterans benefits, claims, health-care navigation, and service pathway - Georgia including Pierce County; veteran status, discharge, appointment, and program rules apply

Georgia Department of Veterans Service

Georgia's veterans-service system helps veterans and eligible family members identify state and federal benefits pathways. Confirm current local contact, eligibility, and documentation requirements.

Peer-support, recovery, advocacy, and mental-health navigation pathway - Georgia; program availability, eligibility, and capacity rules apply; not crisis dispatch

Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network

Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network offers peer-centered mental-health recovery and advocacy pathways. Confirm current programs, locations, and eligibility; call 988 or GCAL for a behavioral-health crisis and 911 for immediate danger.

Peer-recovery, recovery-community, advocacy, and substance-use support pathway - Georgia; group, location, schedule, and eligibility rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Georgia Council for Recovery

Georgia Council for Recovery provides recovery-oriented peer support, advocacy, education, and navigation. Confirm current local or virtual options and whether the service fits the situation; use GCAL or 911 as appropriate in crisis.

Local public-library, information, computer-access, educational, and community-learning pathway - 785 College Avenue, Blackshear; hours, program, card, and access rules apply; not emergency response

Pierce County Public Library

The Pierce County Public Library is identified at 785 College Avenue in Blackshear and provides a local route to public information, technology, learning, and community programs. Confirm current hours, accessibility, programs, and library-card requirements before traveling.

Regional library, technology, literacy, and community-information pathway serving Pierce County; hours, programs, and card rules should be confirmed

Three Rivers Regional Library System

Three Rivers Regional Library System publishes regional library information for Pierce County and nearby communities. Confirm current branch hours, programs, accessibility, and card requirements; library services are not emergency, clinical, housing, or crisis care.

Local public-school, student-support, family, and education pathway - Blackshear; enrollment, transportation, disability-support, privacy, and school-service rules apply

Pierce County Schools

Pierce County Schools provides a route to local education, student services, family contacts, and school-system navigation. Confirm the appropriate school or district office and current enrollment, transportation, or student-support process.

Early-childhood education, family-support, and school-readiness pathway serving southeast Georgia; enrollment, age, income, documentation, disability, and capacity rules apply

Action Pact Head Start and Early Childhood Services

Action Pact publishes Head Start and early-childhood routes for eligible families in its service area. Confirm whether current Pierce County enrollment is open, what documents are needed, and what disability or family supports are available.

Local family-support and community-coordination pathway - 707 Hendry Street, Blackshear; program scope, eligibility, schedule, and capacity should be confirmed

Pierce County Family Connection

Pierce County Family Connection publishes a local family and community-coordination contact in Blackshear. Confirm current programs and whether a particular family, education, or community need fits its present scope.

Local education, family, food, agriculture, 4-H, and practical community-information pathway - 705 College Avenue, Blackshear; program schedules and availability should be confirmed

UGA Cooperative Extension - Pierce County

UGA Extension operates a Pierce County office with horticulture, agriculture, soil and water testing, production-crop advice, 4-H, and research-based family and community education. Confirm current office hours and whether a particular program fits the need.

Local recreation, parks, programs, and community-connection pathway - 728 Ware Street, Blackshear; program, schedule, accessibility, and registration rules apply

Pierce County Recreation Department

Pierce County publishes a Recreation Department contact for local programs and community facilities. Confirm current schedules, registration, accessibility, and whether a particular activity is available; recreation is not emergency, clinical, housing, or cleanup service.

Local business, employer, and community-information pathway - 200 Southwest Central Avenue, Blackshear; membership, business, and referral scope apply; not a public-benefit or emergency service

Pierce County Chamber of Commerce

The Pierce County Chamber of Commerce provides a local business and community-information route. It may help identify area businesses or community connections, but it is not a public-benefit office, emergency service, or endorsement of any individual provider.

Utility account, outage, payment-assistance, and customer-service pathway - Georgia including Pierce County; account, income, program, and safety rules apply; call 911 for fire or immediate danger

Georgia Power

Georgia Power provides utility customer-service and outage information. Ask about current payment-assistance or account options and keep emergency hazards in the 911 lane; a utility company is not a cleanup or housing-placement service.

Utility-location and dig-safety pathway for Georgia; ticket, notice, location, and timing rules apply; call 911 for a suspected gas leak, fire, or immediate danger

Georgia 811

Use Georgia 811 before planned digging so utilities can be located. Leave the area and call 911 for a suspected gas leak, fire, or immediate threat; 811 is not emergency dispatch or a cleanup service.

State travel, roadway, and traffic-information pathway - Georgia; conditions change; call 911 for a crash, active threat, or immediate roadway emergency

Georgia 511

Georgia 511 provides current roadway and travel information for planning trips to services in and around Pierce County. It is not emergency dispatch, medical care, or a transportation reservation service.

Southeast Health District community-resource guide dated September 9, 2025; local listings, hours, eligibility, and capacity may change and must be confirmed directly

Pierce County Community Resource Guide

The Southeast Health District publishes a dated Pierce County community-resource guide covering health, primary care, food, housing, benefits, aging, transportation, and other local pathways. Use it as a starting map, then confirm every listing and current contact before sharing personal information or traveling.

Disaster-preparedness, disaster-response, and recovery-navigation pathway for Georgia including Pierce County; incident, shelter, volunteer, and capacity rules apply; not general emergency dispatch

American Red Cross Georgia

The American Red Cross provides disaster-preparedness and disaster-recovery information and may coordinate assistance after qualifying incidents. Confirm current local response, shelter, and eligibility information; call 911 for an active emergency.

A note from the Alliance

Start with the person. Then decide what the situation needs.

This guide is anchored in Blackshear, Georgia, 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