The United Way of Rhode Island’s 211 line has already handled more calls than it did all of last year, helping thousands of state residents connect to services ranging from help buying food to recovery assistance from this year’s devastating floods.
The increase in overall call volume this year is partially due to greater awareness of the Rhode Island 211 line, a free information portal similar to 411 that is designed specifically for residents who need help finding services. But the increase is more a reflection of the state’s economy and an unemployment rate of 11.5 percent as of September.
“The growth in calls has coincided with one of the most difficult economic climates since the Great Depression,” said Chris Medici, executive vice president, director of strategic marketing & communications for the United Way of Rhode Island. “People have been unemployed and exhausted their savings, and they are calling 211 because they don’t know what else to do.”
As of the end of September 2010, the number of calls hit 133,912, exceeding the total number of 211 calls for all of 2009 (122,212). That’s a 33 percent increase from September 2009 to September 2010, and about 50 percent of the calls in September of this year were from people seeking financial assistance.
“Many times people call because they are behind on rent or the mortgage, or because they can’t pay their electric bill,” said Cristina Amedeo, director of Rhode Island 2 1 1. “They call without knowing that there is any help … but we have 3,200 programs in our database to help individuals with specific needs, and we bring to people’s attention the different programs available to them.”
For instance, 211 operators might refer callers who need shelter to the Rhode Island Housing Help Center, which provides services for residents facing foreclosure, or help elderly residents apply for Medicare.
During that time, the business community and individuals came through with more than $860,000 in donations for flood victims, which the United Way used to create The Rhode Island Flood Recovery Fund. People still call 211 in search of long-term recovery assistance related to the flood, and the Flood Recovery Fund is used as a last resort to help offset costs not covered by FEMA assistance or insurance, Medici said.
The 211 line isn’t just for crisis resolution though; people who want to change the course of their lives can use the line to find a way.
For instance, one Rhode Islander who exhausted unemployment benefits called 211 asking if he qualified for any other help. The 211 respondent connected him with state job-training services that he eventually took advantage of, Medici said.
An additional benefit of the 211 line is relief for service providers, as it reduces the number of calls from people who aren’t eligible for their services.
The 211 line is also a gauge for the types of social services that are in high demand, so data collected from those calls can be used to help policymakers allocate funds and plan for future needs.
Most of the funding for 211 Rhode Island, about $500,000 annually, comes from local businesses and individuals who support the United Way’s Community Impact Fund. The Hasbro Children’s Fund helped launch the service in 2007, and additional funds come from state contracts and grants. •
