united way’s 2-1-1 of wnc 2008 Report to Our Community

fundingUnited Way’s 2-1-1 of WNC service is provided to our community through a strong funding partnership between the United Ways and County Governments in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania Counties.

a word from our chair 2-1-1 advisory committee

Joe Connolly, ChairLand-of-Sky Regional Council

Kirk FleemanEATON Corporation

Pat Fugate-HockProgress Energy

Steve GarrisonMadison County Government

Greg GraysonAsheville Fire and Rescue

Jim HollandBuncombe County DSS

Allison JordanChildren First / CIS of Buncombe County

Sandy McGlashanUnited Way of Henderson County

Steve PulliamUnited Way of Transylvania County

Maria RoloffMission Hospitals

Mike RomineCommunity Volunteer

Debbie ShroyerFestiva Resorts

Ron TerryCommunity Volunteer

I’m pleased to have the opportunity to lead the 2-1-1 Advisory Committee. 2-1-1 is a critical resource with an important role of connecting people to health and human services in our community.

As we review 2-1-1’s accomplishments in the past year, we must give emphasis to 2-1-1 availability on cell phones. Now more than ever, cell phones are a primary way of communicating, and 2-1-1 became accessible on cell phones in August 2008. For more details, see the article on page 7. Another vital project in 2008 was strengthening our collaborations with 2-1-1 in other parts of NC by switching to a shared database and offering back-up call center support. For a map of 2-1-1 service in the state, see page 6. In addition, we are particularly proud of the community partnerships that we strengthened in 2008.

2-1-1 has some exciting goals for the year ahead. In addition to responding to everyday inquiries for information and referral, are working to be the leader in connecting the four county region to solutions for health and human service needs. We will continue our collaborative community relationships, specifically around United Way’s core issues of Education, Income and Health. We will seek better ways to use 2-1-1 data to identify and communicate service gaps. Also, we plan to begin sharing our 2-1-1 community resource database with outside groups including NCcareLINK and Carolina Homeless Information Network.

Thank you for reviewing our annual report. We thank you for your being a friend of 2-1-1 and look forward to working with you to strengthen our community!

Joe Connolly

“I was stumped and didn’t know what to do, and 2-1-1 gave me something to try.”

- 2-1-1 Caller Feedback

In addition, we receive financial support from the following sponsors:

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our stories

Frank lives alone and was in the process of applying for Social Security Disability benefits because of an accident he suffered several years ago. His income from sporadic work was not enough to cover his basic expenses, so he frequently compensated by allowing his power to get shut off in the warmer months so he could cover the cost of his medication. With the cost of food and fuel increasing, he found that he couldn’t afford his prescriptions in spite of cutting his recommended dosages in half.

When Frank called 2-1-1 for prescription assistance, he explained to the referral specialist that he wasn’t looking for a handout and he usually found ways to make do on his own, but everything had just gotten so expensive at once. He was asked if he had considered applying for food stamps, and said he hadn’t but it didn’t matter anyway because he didn’t have any children. The referral specialist explained the program and provided him with information on how to apply. Frank was reluctant but did apply and was eligible for food assistance. The food assistance he now receives allows him to dedicate more of his limited income towards purchasing medication and taking care of his other household expenses.

Laura does not make very much money, so she looks forward to tax season because she usually gets a refund. What she does not look forward to is the filing process. After reading about the free tax preparation assistance in the local paper, she decided to call 2-1-1 for more information about the program to see if she was eligible. A 2-1-1 referral specialist referred her to a nearby walk-in tax preparation site and provided her information about the documents she needed to bring with her and the best times to stop by. Laura had her taxes done for free: quickly and correctly.

Laura reported back to 2-1-1 that her gratitude for the volunteers who helped with her taxes strengthened her own resolve to be more committed to volunteering and giving back to the area nonprofits that deliver such valuable services.

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tracking community needs

2008 2-1-1 inquiriesJanuary 1 - December 31

Of the 59,739 total inquiries:

2008 caller needs by categoryMay 1 - December 31*

basic needs Programs that furnish survival level resources including food, housing, material goods, transportation and temporary financial assistance for individuals with low or fixed incomes, people who are homeless, older adults and/or people with disabilities.

organizational, community, international servicesPrograms that provide any of a broad spectrum of services, such as: providing artistic and cultural outlets; community improvement or service projects; participation in the political process; provision of assistance in times of disaster; provision of information services; and services for residents, travelers, newcomers, community agencies, organizations, businesses and industries, and other others.

Calls36,763 62% Online

Searches22,976 38%

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* This graph illustrates trends in caller’s needs. However, due to a switch in data recording software, it does not reflect a full year of calls. Therefore totals from the two graphs do not match.

top ten specific caller needs

Utility Bill Payment Assistance

Food Pantries

Christmas Programs

Housing Expense Assistance

Homeless Shelter

Community Clinics

Home Rental Listings

General Legal Aid

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers

Central Intake/Assessment for Psychiatric Services

top ten unmet needs of callers

Christmas Programs

Utility Bill Payment Assistance

Transportation Expense Assistance

Housing Expense Assistance

Open Gas Stations

Thanksgiving Baskets

Bus Fare

Gas Money

Food Pantries

Automotive Repair

health carePrograms whose primary purpose is to help individuals and families achieve and maintain physical well-being through the study, prevention, screening, evaluation and treatment of people who have illnesses, injuries, disabilities or substance abuse problems; and the provision of family planning, maternity and other services that relate to human reproduction and sexual health.

individual and family lifePrograms that promote the personal, social and spiritual development by providing services that replace or supplement the care and support that is generally available through the family unit, and by offering social, religious/spiritual and leisure-time activities.

criminal justice and legal servicesPrograms that enforce laws and administer justice to foster a safe and peaceful environment, including: crime prevention; criminal investigations; victim and witness support; and programs that provide for the arraignment, prosecution and defense, sentencing, confinement and release and resettlement of offenders.

income support and employmentPrograms that help to meet economic needs by helping residents prepare for, find and sustain gainful employment; provide public assistance and support for those who are eligible; and ensure that retirees, older adults, people with disabilities and other eligible individuals receive social insurance benefits.

mental health care and counselingPrograms that provide preventive, diagnostic and treatment services in a variety of community and hospital-based settings to help people achieve and maintain a state of emotional well-being, personal empowerment and coping ability.

consumer servicesPrograms that provide for the education and protection of individuals who purchase, use, maintain and dispose of products and services. These include: programs that work with pricing policies; credit reporting and debt collection; quality and safety standards; financial counseling; and mediation or arbitration related to consumer products.

environmental qualityPrograms that preserve, protect and improve both the natural and built aspects of the physical environment. This also includes programs that focus on safety and emergency prevention and intervention.

educationPrograms that provide opportunities for people to acquire the knowledge, skills, desirable qualities of behavior and character, wisdom and general competence that will enable them to fully participate in the community.

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2-1-1 service in north carolina as of january 09

Red: United Way’s 2-1-1 of WNC (Asheville)

Yellow: NC 2-1-1 (Durham)

Blue: NC 2-1-1 future service

in their own words

“2-1-1 saved me hours of calling and searching on the Internet.”

“2-1-1 helped by giving me resources and calming my anxiety.”

“2-1-1 provides helpful information in a patient manner.”

“2-1-1 is a very efficient way for me to connect my clients to resources.”

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NC 2-1-1 Coverage Area

A place to stay

Help for my son’s needs

Help with fixing my furnace

Insulin pump supplies

Winter coats for my children

our 2008 callers say that we helped them find….A GED preparation program

Where to vote

Safety

Weatherization

A place to donate my mother’s belongings after she passed away

Legal assistance

Food pantries and food stamps

Volunteer opportunities

And more!

2-1-1 service development 2-1-1 is a growing service. 41 counties in North Carolina are currently served by a 2-1-1 program (United Way’s 2-1-1 of WNC or NC 2-1-1), and another 12 counties are expected to have service by the end of 2009.

Nationally, 2-1-1 serves over 234 million Americans (more than 78% of the entire population) through 244 active 2-1-1 systems covering all or part of 48 states (including 31 states with 90%+ coverage) plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico. The remaining states are all in various stages of planning and implementation. Every few weeks, these coverage numbers increase. For national status details, visit www.211us.org.

the cover says it all: cell phone access is now a reality

As of July 31, 2008, United Way’s 2-1-1 of WNC is available from cell phones.

Cell phone use is at an all-time high.

Eighty-six percent of American households now have at least one cell phone, exceeding the number that have land lines.

And those who have cell phones as their exclusive telephone service also continues to grow,

particularly among people with low incomes.

Whether it is an individual calling on their own behalf, a service provider on a home visit, or even a good samaritan finding someone in need on a street corner, 2-1-1 connections can be made when it is needed, wherever that may be.

Hurricane Ike struck in September of 2008 and caused a gas shortage that resulted in serious disruptions, rationing, and fear throughout Western North Carolina. In Buncombe County, government offices, community colleges, and many businesses were forced to close for several days. Countless drivers waited hours for fuel, lines wrapped around blocks and side streets causing automobile wrecks, and police had to direct traffic and clear congestion. Fights broke out as angry drivers accused others of cutting in line.

Throughout this local crisis, 2-1-1 was here for our community. 2-1-1 was promoted widely as a number to call for information on where to locate gas during the emergency. And while 2-1-1 is prepared to handle any number of natural and man-made disasters, this gas shortage lacked centralized information from which to assist callers.

2-1-1 reacted nimbly, utilizing web sites, local media, and tips from callers and partners. We responded to more than 192 gas calls in a two week time frame. 2-1-1 and local emergency planners are utilizing lessons learned during this experience to improve plans for future disaster response.

Kathy, a 2-1-1 customer, reported her experience: Kathy’s son was on his way to Asheville from Charlotte and started looking for gas before he got into Buncombe County, but he was unable to locate any. He considered turning around rather than risk being stuck in Asheville. He thought to call 2-1-1 and a referral specialist sent him straight to a station that had gas. Kathy’s other son is a student at A.C. Reynolds High School. He heard about 2-1-1 at school and advised his father to stop driving around looking for gas, and to call 2-1-1 instead. His father was also able to locate gas through a 2-1-1 referral. She gratefully reports, “We are true believers in 2-1-1!”

2-1-1 reacts to gas shortage

Long lines and high prices at the gas pump were a common sight during the September shortage. 2-1-1 referral specialists fielded numerous calls about where to get gas and how to cope with rising prices.

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This effort was made possible by partnerships with:

• Charles Thomas, NC state representative from the 116th district, who advocated for 2-1-1 with the primary cell phone carriers in our state;

• Alltel, AT&T, Nextel/Sprint, TMobile/SunCom, US Cellular and Verizon (2-1-1 dialing does not currently work on some prepaid cell phones from other companies);

• United Way of North Carolina, with financial support from

the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation, coordinated the process of routing switches and getting 2-1-1 calls directed to the correct call centers; and

• County governments and local United Ways in Buncombe,

Henderson, Madison and Transylvania Counties.

United Way’s 2-1-1 of WNC50 S. French Broad AvenueAsheville NC 28801

Nonprofit ORG. US Postage

PAIDAsheville, NC

Permit No. 151

united way’s 2-1-1 of wnc 2008 Report to Our Community

information at your fingertips

United Way’s 2-1-1 of WNC’s online database allows you to search more than 2,000 local health and human service agen-cies and programs. All you need is access to the Internet.

The programs and services listed are provided by nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and other community groups. The database includes comprehensive and up-to-date information about agency and program location, phone numbers, services offered, application procedures, hours, fees, and area served.

The 2-1-1 online database can be a valuable tool for both your personal and professional life. Visit this web resource at www.211wnc.org

contact us!Do you have questions about community resources?Does your agency’s database listing need to be updated?Would you like to receive training from 2-1-1 on how to better use the database?Would you like to invite us to speak to a group?Are you looking for statistics on community needs?Would you like to join the 2-1-1 e-newsletter mailing list?

Email us at 211info@unitedwayabc.org or call us at 2-1-1