When times are tough, where do you turn?

Thursday, December 11, 2014

2-1-1 leaders from across Wisconsin gathered this week at United Way Fox Cities.

Contributor: Nanci Micke, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at United Way Fox Cities

Three simple numbers. One helping voice. This is one of the ways that we describe what our United Way 2-1-1 call center is all about. Many people in our community are not familiar with 2-1-1, but it is a helpful phone number to know. 2-1-1 is a resource that connects people with health and human services 24 hours a day, every day, through a free, confidential phone service and a searchable online database. 2-1-1 is also a place for people to turn to when they need to be connected to disaster services.

The entire state of Wisconsin has 2-1-1 coverage, with ten call centers across Wisconsin answering over 270,000 calls each year. The two most common needs identified by call center specialists are resources for housing/utilities and food/meals. Other needs include help with clothing, education, employment, health care, legal services, access to mental health services and transportation.

This week, the leaders from all ten 2-1-1 call centers in the state of Wisconsin gathered at United Way Fox Cities to train, network, and provide support. Michelle Pierquet-Hohner, Manager of United Way 2-1-1 in the Fox Cities, commented on the dedication of the call center representatives, "They are so passionate about helping people, and so dedicated to making 2-1-1 be a great resource for those in need."

Please be our advocates in getting the word out about 2-1-1 to the community. For many people facing struggles and adversity the hardest part is knowing where to turn to, and how to begin finding help. That helping voice on the other end of the phone line is a great place to start the journey.

Download and print our 2-1-1 informational bookmarks to share with others.