State's 211 System Serves 1,000 Kosciusko Countians
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The year-old 211 telephone help line has expanded across the state from six centers serving 22 counties to eight centers serving 39 counties. This means more than half of the state's citizens can dial 211 for help with food, counseling, employment, health care, support groups, housing, shelter, legal aid, clothing and education.
The Kosciusko County United Way is part of the First Call For Help/United Way of Allen County service center. Information was provided to more than 20,000 regional callers last year. The other centers received more than 115,000 calls in the last 12 months.
The system for calling the easy-to-remember number is designed to help people make connections with agencies that can help them with particular needs.
From Feb. 11, 2004, to Dec. 31, 2004, there were 585 referrals to Kosciusko County agencies, according to KC United Way statistics. More than 1,000 people benefited from the system requesting emergency assistance for food, shelter and utility payments. The second most frequent number of calls were for child care.
The 211 help line receives $10,000 in allocations from the Kosciusko County United Way (July 2004 through June 2005).
In addition to residential telephones, callers with Centennial cellular phone accounts as well as people using pay phones can reach the service. Trained operators answer questions and provide information Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Businesses with multiple telephone lines have to be programmed to reach the system. Callers using hospitals and jail telephone systems will probably not be able to access 211.
At the federal level, Senate Bill 211 and a companion House Bill offer pending legislation to provide $150 million in support for 211. IN211 and its centers already have secured the required 50 percent match. One funding source is the Cinergy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cinergy/PSI. The foundation has pledged another $600,000 to help fund community access to 211.
Plans are to make the service available statewide. There are a total of 143 centers in 29 states making the 211 information and referral service available to about 34 percent of U.S. citizens. [[In-content Ad]]
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The year-old 211 telephone help line has expanded across the state from six centers serving 22 counties to eight centers serving 39 counties. This means more than half of the state's citizens can dial 211 for help with food, counseling, employment, health care, support groups, housing, shelter, legal aid, clothing and education.
The Kosciusko County United Way is part of the First Call For Help/United Way of Allen County service center. Information was provided to more than 20,000 regional callers last year. The other centers received more than 115,000 calls in the last 12 months.
The system for calling the easy-to-remember number is designed to help people make connections with agencies that can help them with particular needs.
From Feb. 11, 2004, to Dec. 31, 2004, there were 585 referrals to Kosciusko County agencies, according to KC United Way statistics. More than 1,000 people benefited from the system requesting emergency assistance for food, shelter and utility payments. The second most frequent number of calls were for child care.
The 211 help line receives $10,000 in allocations from the Kosciusko County United Way (July 2004 through June 2005).
In addition to residential telephones, callers with Centennial cellular phone accounts as well as people using pay phones can reach the service. Trained operators answer questions and provide information Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Businesses with multiple telephone lines have to be programmed to reach the system. Callers using hospitals and jail telephone systems will probably not be able to access 211.
At the federal level, Senate Bill 211 and a companion House Bill offer pending legislation to provide $150 million in support for 211. IN211 and its centers already have secured the required 50 percent match. One funding source is the Cinergy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cinergy/PSI. The foundation has pledged another $600,000 to help fund community access to 211.
Plans are to make the service available statewide. There are a total of 143 centers in 29 states making the 211 information and referral service available to about 34 percent of U.S. citizens. [[In-content Ad]]