Putnam First Cancer Fund
Emergency Financial Aid · About this organization
What you get
$75/patient/week and $75/caregiver/week for food; plus sitting, gas, housing, utilities, internet, TV, one household phone, one car payment, car insurance and other approved bills, paid to providers.
How to start
Bring your completed referral form, photo identification, address proof, 30 days of income proof and bills to Palatka Christian Service Center.
Good to know
- A referral from an agency or individual is required.
- Cancer treatment itself is not covered.
The details, as published
Putnam First Cancer Fund assists Putnam County residents who have cancer and are uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and/or financially needy. Emergency aid may cover sitting services, gas cards, food, rent or mortgage, utilities, phone, one vehicle payment or insurance, internet, and other approved living needs; payments go directly to the service provider. A referring agency completes the referral, and the patient brings the form, identification, county-residency proof, 30 days of income evidence, and household bills to Palatka Christian Service Center. The program publishes no pediatric age restriction, and its 2025 annual report confirms that it served people ranging from age 4 to 90.
What help you may get
Childcare
Emergency Financial Aid — childcare
Putnam First Cancer Fund assists Putnam County residents who have cancer and are uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and/or financially needy. Emergency aid may cover sitting services, gas cards, food, rent or mortgage, utilities, phone, one vehicle payment or insurance, internet, and other approved living needs; payments go directly to the service provider. A referring agency completes the referral, and the patient brings the form, identification, county-residency proof, 30 days of income evidence, and household bills to Palatka Christian Service Center. The program publishes no pediatric age restriction, and its 2025 annual report confirms that it served people ranging from age 4 to 90.
Amount not published · As Needed
Can cover
- Car insurance
- Electricity
- Food allowance
- Gas cards for transportation
- Gas utility
- Internet
- Mortgage
- One car loan payment
- One cell phone per household or landline
- Other approved requests
- Rent
- Sewer
- Sitting services
- Television
- Water
Does not cover
- Cancer treatment costs are not covered; the organization distinguishes assistance for basic needs and certain diagnostic expenses from payment for cancer treatment.
- No overall award maximum is published.
- The 2025 annual report states that transportation or emergency assistance for rent, utilities, and similar needs averaged about $2,699 among 38 clients; this is an historical average, not an award limit.
- The food allowance is $75 per cancer patient per week and $75 per caregiver per week.
- Gas cards, sitting services, and food may continue as long as needed.
- Monthly living expenses generally cover one month; subsequent requests are evaluated case by case or referred elsewhere.
Household Bills And Cash Assistance
Emergency Financial Aid — household bills and cash assistance
Putnam First Cancer Fund assists Putnam County residents who have cancer and are uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and/or financially needy. Emergency aid may cover sitting services, gas cards, food, rent or mortgage, utilities, phone, one vehicle payment or insurance, internet, and other approved living needs; payments go directly to the service provider. A referring agency completes the referral, and the patient brings the form, identification, county-residency proof, 30 days of income evidence, and household bills to Palatka Christian Service Center. The program publishes no pediatric age restriction, and its 2025 annual report confirms that it served people ranging from age 4 to 90.
Amount not published · As Needed
Can cover
- Car insurance
- Electricity
- Food allowance
- Gas cards for transportation
- Gas utility
- Internet
- Mortgage
- One car loan payment
- One cell phone per household or landline
- Other approved requests
- Rent
- Sewer
- Sitting services
- Television
- Water
Does not cover
- Cancer treatment costs are not covered; the organization distinguishes assistance for basic needs and certain diagnostic expenses from payment for cancer treatment.
- No overall award maximum is published.
- The 2025 annual report states that transportation or emergency assistance for rent, utilities, and similar needs averaged about $2,699 among 38 clients; this is an historical average, not an award limit.
- The food allowance is $75 per cancer patient per week and $75 per caregiver per week.
- Gas cards, sitting services, and food may continue as long as needed.
- Monthly living expenses generally cover one month; subsequent requests are evaluated case by case or referred elsewhere.
Meals And Food
Emergency Financial Aid — meals and food
Putnam First Cancer Fund assists Putnam County residents who have cancer and are uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and/or financially needy. Emergency aid may cover sitting services, gas cards, food, rent or mortgage, utilities, phone, one vehicle payment or insurance, internet, and other approved living needs; payments go directly to the service provider. A referring agency completes the referral, and the patient brings the form, identification, county-residency proof, 30 days of income evidence, and household bills to Palatka Christian Service Center. The program publishes no pediatric age restriction, and its 2025 annual report confirms that it served people ranging from age 4 to 90.
Amount not published · As Needed
Can cover
- Car insurance
- Electricity
- Food allowance
- Gas cards for transportation
- Gas utility
- Internet
- Mortgage
- One car loan payment
- One cell phone per household or landline
- Other approved requests
- Rent
- Sewer
- Sitting services
- Television
- Water
Does not cover
- Cancer treatment costs are not covered; the organization distinguishes assistance for basic needs and certain diagnostic expenses from payment for cancer treatment.
- No overall award maximum is published.
- The 2025 annual report states that transportation or emergency assistance for rent, utilities, and similar needs averaged about $2,699 among 38 clients; this is an historical average, not an award limit.
- The food allowance is $75 per cancer patient per week and $75 per caregiver per week.
- Gas cards, sitting services, and food may continue as long as needed.
- Monthly living expenses generally cover one month; subsequent requests are evaluated case by case or referred elsewhere.
Practical Items And Home Help
Emergency Financial Aid — practical items and home help
Putnam First Cancer Fund assists Putnam County residents who have cancer and are uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and/or financially needy. Emergency aid may cover sitting services, gas cards, food, rent or mortgage, utilities, phone, one vehicle payment or insurance, internet, and other approved living needs; payments go directly to the service provider. A referring agency completes the referral, and the patient brings the form, identification, county-residency proof, 30 days of income evidence, and household bills to Palatka Christian Service Center. The program publishes no pediatric age restriction, and its 2025 annual report confirms that it served people ranging from age 4 to 90.
Amount not published · As Needed
Can cover
- Car insurance
- Electricity
- Food allowance
- Gas cards for transportation
- Gas utility
- Internet
- Mortgage
- One car loan payment
- One cell phone per household or landline
- Other approved requests
- Rent
- Sewer
- Sitting services
- Television
- Water
Does not cover
- Cancer treatment costs are not covered; the organization distinguishes assistance for basic needs and certain diagnostic expenses from payment for cancer treatment.
- No overall award maximum is published.
- The 2025 annual report states that transportation or emergency assistance for rent, utilities, and similar needs averaged about $2,699 among 38 clients; this is an historical average, not an award limit.
- The food allowance is $75 per cancer patient per week and $75 per caregiver per week.
- Gas cards, sitting services, and food may continue as long as needed.
- Monthly living expenses generally cover one month; subsequent requests are evaluated case by case or referred elsewhere.
Travel And Transportation
Emergency Financial Aid — travel and transportation
Putnam First Cancer Fund assists Putnam County residents who have cancer and are uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and/or financially needy. Emergency aid may cover sitting services, gas cards, food, rent or mortgage, utilities, phone, one vehicle payment or insurance, internet, and other approved living needs; payments go directly to the service provider. A referring agency completes the referral, and the patient brings the form, identification, county-residency proof, 30 days of income evidence, and household bills to Palatka Christian Service Center. The program publishes no pediatric age restriction, and its 2025 annual report confirms that it served people ranging from age 4 to 90.
Amount not published · As Needed
Can cover
- Car insurance
- Electricity
- Food allowance
- Gas cards for transportation
- Gas utility
- Internet
- Mortgage
- One car loan payment
- One cell phone per household or landline
- Other approved requests
- Rent
- Sewer
- Sitting services
- Television
- Water
Does not cover
- Cancer treatment costs are not covered; the organization distinguishes assistance for basic needs and certain diagnostic expenses from payment for cancer treatment.
- No overall award maximum is published.
- The 2025 annual report states that transportation or emergency assistance for rent, utilities, and similar needs averaged about $2,699 among 38 clients; this is an historical average, not an award limit.
- The food allowance is $75 per cancer patient per week and $75 per caregiver per week.
- Gas cards, sitting services, and food may continue as long as needed.
- Monthly living expenses generally cover one month; subsequent requests are evaluated case by case or referred elsewhere.
Why this may help
Childcare: Sitting services are among the expenses the emergency fund can consider.
Household Bills And Cash Assistance: Rent, utilities, phone and one vehicle payment can be considered in the emergency assistance.
Meals And Food: The fund lists a weekly food allowance for the patient and caregiver.
Travel And Transportation: Gas cards, car insurance and one vehicle payment can help with transportation costs.
Check the main eligibility rules
Diagnosis
B-ALL is in scope. The official rules cover Putnam County residents diagnosed with any cancer without a published minimum age; the current annual report confirms service to a four-year-old, so pediatric B-ALL falls within the published diagnosis and observed age scope.
Age
The program does not publish an age limit.
- No age eligibility rule is published.
- The 2025 annual report states that clients served ranged from 4 to 90 years old; this is operational evidence, not a formal age rule.
Treatment status
No specific treatment status is published.
- Provider confirmation is not published as mandatory.
- Potential recipients must have no insurance, be underinsured, or be medically needy, and/or have a financial need.
- Proof of income for the last 30 days
- The applicant must provide 30 days of income evidence, but no income ceiling is published.
- The eligibility wording allows uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and/or financially needy applicants; it does not make financial need an unambiguous stand-alone requirement for every recipient.
- The patient must provide a breakdown of typical monthly expenses and copies of bills, if any.
Where you live and where your child is treated
Where your family lives
You must live in: Published program service area in US-FL.
- The patient must be a resident of Putnam County, Florida and provide proof of county residence.
- The program requires Putnam County residence and proof. Florida is confirmed, but the county restriction must remain active.
Where your child is treated
No treatment-location restriction is published.
How to get started
Does a social worker or care team need to start it? No. A required care-team start is not published; the family can use the available route below.
Who can start: Caregiver, Parent Or Guardian, Patient
- Complete the current Patient Referral Form and give it to the patient or family.
- Gather picture ID, Putnam County residency proof, 30 days of income proof, and a monthly-expense breakdown with copies of bills.
- Bring the completed referral form and supporting documents to Palatka Christian Service Center at 2600 Peters Street, Palatka.
- Confirm receipt and ask whether the eligibility review requires more information.
Ways to apply or ask
- Downloadable Form · Open form or page — This PDF lists possible emergency-aid benefits; it is not the application form.
- Downloadable Form · Open form or page — Current fillable Patient Referral Form, revised January 2026.
- In Person · Open form or page — Bring the completed form and supporting documents to Palatka Christian Service Center, 2600 Peters Street, Palatka.
Documents to prepare
- Breakdown of typical monthly expenses
- Completed Patient Referral Form
- Copies of bills, if any
- Photo identification
- Proof of income for the last 30 days
- Proof of Putnam County residency
- Once eligibility is confirmed, financial assistance is paid directly to the provider of the service.
Availability and timing
| Program | Active |
|---|---|
| Applications | Open |
| Funding or space | Not Published |
| Application window | Rolling |
| Last checked | Aug 24, 2026 |
- The February 2026 annual report documents 2025 assistance activity.
- The official site provided a January 2026 referral form and instructions for receiving funding.
- The site does not publish the current balance or funding capacity.
- No fixed application dates are published.
- No processing time is published.
Limitations and things to confirm
- A referring agency must complete the referral form.
- Applicants must provide identity, residency, income, and expense documentation.
- Cancer treatment itself is not covered.
- Repeat living-expense requests are reviewed case by case.
- The program is limited to Putnam County residents.
- How does the fund apply the uninsured, underinsured, medically needy, and financial-need alternatives in individual cases?
- How long does eligibility review and vendor payment take?
- Is there a formal minimum or maximum patient age?
- What are the current funding limits per household or request?
- Which agencies may make referrals?
Official sources
Program details were last verified Aug 24, 2026. Availability can change, so check the official program before applying.
- Annual Report 2025 · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Annual Report 2025 · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Emergency Financial Aid · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Emergency Financial Aid · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Putnam First Cancer Fund · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Putnam First Cancer Fund · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Receive Funding | Putnam First Cancer Fund · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Patient Referral Form · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Diagnostic Testing Assistance · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Diagnostic Testing Assistance · checked Aug 24, 2026