SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) counselors are now providing free, unbiased health insurance counseling at Goodwill Manasota community rooms at four locations in Sarasota County. Offered locally through the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL), SHINE counselors assist clients with Medicare, Medicaid, prescription assistance, and long-term care insurance. SHINE counselors can help seniors and people with disabilities find programs which may lower their prescription drug costs, provide prescription drugs at no cost, or help with Medicare Part B costs. The SHINE counseling sessions are available at the following Goodwill locations from 11am-2pm on Thursdays: Goodwill Selby (1781 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Sarasota) the first Thursday of each month; Goodwill University (8490 Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota) the second Thursday of each month; Goodwill Mecca (5150 N. Tamiami Tr., Sarasota) the third Thursday of each month; and Goodwill Honore (1740 N. Honore Ave., Sarasota) the fourth Thursday of each month. Sessions are by appointment only; to request an appointment with a SHINE counselor, please call the Elder Helpline at (866) 413-5337. Last year in Southwest Florida alone, SHINE assisted 9,400 people with counseling services.

Goodwill Manasota