PROVIDENCE – The United Way of Rhode Island’s 2-1-1 call center saw 170,860 calls come into the center in 2019, according to data from the local nonprofit organization.
While the total calls into the center decreased year over year, a 10,513-call drop from 2018, the call center saw an increase in the number of requests regarding housing, food and health information.
The call center saw its largest increase regarding requests for referrals and information on health care and health services, rising from 54,957 in 2018 to 94,813 last year. Specialists also saw increased calls for assistance with prescriptions, elder care and mental-health supports, the organization said.
Regarding housing, 87,187 requests were fielded by United Way in 2018, up from 72,944 the year before. And there were 68,584 food requests made to 2-1-1 last year. In 2018, 61,326 food requests were made to the call center, United Way said.
United Way of Rhode Island CEO and President Cortney Nicolato said in a statement that the increased number of calls to 2-1-1 highlight that people in the state are “struggling with their basic needs” and the jumps the organization sees regarding housing are “especially alarming.”
“We can look at our data and the upward movement of calls for help with basic needs and say with confidence that without significant change, the data points will only rise,” Nicolato said.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
