On February 11, West Virginia 211 will celebrate 211 Day, recognizing this critical service that has answered more than 31,000 calls in 2021, connecting people to the services and benefits they need.
“Our team of trained call specialists who answer the phones at 211 every day is truly amazing,” said Margaret O’Neal, president of the Board of Directors. “Every day, they connect thousands of West Virginians to resources and services they need. Often, this means digging into an individual’s story, and helping get to the root of the problems they are facing.”
211 provides a vital service leveraged by millions of people across North America. Every day, clients contact 211 to access free and confidential crisis and emergency counseling; disaster assistance; food, health care and insurance assistance; housing and utility payment assistance; employment services; veterans services; childcare, family services and more.
Last year on this special day, WV 211 launched the capability to search for resources on their website. This new feature saw over 45,000 searches in its first year.
“One persistent local barrier to improving access to resources is simply knowing where to turn when you’re in need,” said Brett White, chair of the West Virginia United Way Collaborative. “Often times, individuals would rather search for the information on their own instead of speaking to our representatives. This new feature allows them to do just that.”
With the release of their 2021 Impact Report today, they have also published their top five requests, which include: utility assistance, rent/mortgage assistance, COVID-19 information, homeless shelters/coordinated entry, and food insecurity.
“As we continue to determine the best way to help area residents who struggle to pay their bills despite having full-time employment, 211 has remained a vital resource for the people and communities we serve,” added O’Neal. “From assistance with tax preparation, utilities assistance, and employment services, 211 is there, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. And it remains one of our best tools for building strong and stable communities.”
For more information about West Virginia 211, or to donate to keep this vital service available for West Virginians, visitwv211.org.