United Way’s 2-1-1 of WNC2009 Report to Our Community

contentsCONNECTthe many ways to connect to 2-1-1 of wnc......4

BAROMETERstatistical analysis of 2-1-1 inquiries.................6

REAL LIVESstories about our callers..................................8

QUOTEShow 2-1-1 helped me........................................ 11

United.Way’s.2-1-1.of.WNC.is.a.community.service.information. line. that. links. people. to. health. and.human.services.in.Buncombe,.Henderson,.Madison.and.Transylvania.counties..

2-1-1. of. WNC. is. free,. confidential. and. available.24/7.to.speakers.of.all.languages..Trained.Referral.Specialists. are. available. to. answer. your. call. and.identify.the.right.resources.for.you.

2-1-1. of. WNC. is. accredited. by. the. Alliance.of. Information. and. Referral. Systems. (AIRS),.demonstrating. full. compliance. with. the. AIRS.Standards.for.Professional.Information.and.Referral....

We. are. a. part. of. national. and. state. networks...Approximately.80%.of.the.population.of.the.United.States.is.served.by.a.2-1-1.program...Visit.www.211.org.for.links.to.state.and.national.2-1-1.information..

connect

By PhonePeople.can.make.free,.confidential.calls.to.2-1-1.of.WNC..day. or. night. and. speak. with. trained. staff.. Our. Referral.Specialists.provide.referrals.to.health.and.human.services.in.the.community..

Online 2-1-1. of. WNC’s. comprehensive. community. resource.database.contains.more.than.2,000.programs.and.services.in.our.four.county.area,.such.as.housing,.food,.medicine,.transportation,.support.groups,.money.management,.legal.assistance,.counseling,.health.care,.recreation,.volunteer.opportunities.and.much.more...

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Research.shows.people.make.an.average.of.seven.phone.calls.to.find.the.health.and.human.service.resources.they.need.

With.so.many.different.kinds.of.services.in.our.community,.2-1-1. of. WNC. cuts. through. the. confusion. and. directs.people.to.the.right.place.on.their.first.try...

HOW CAN YOU CONNECT TO 2-1-1 OF WNC?

Data Partners In. addition. to. contacting. 2-1-1. of. WNC. directly,. people.can.find.out.about.community.services. through.our.data.partners...In.2009,.two.special.new.projects.increased.the.community’s.access.to.information.about.local.resources.

North Carolina careLINK is.a.Web.site.with.information.about.health.and.human.services.throughout.the.state...It.is.a.project.of.North.Carolina.Department.of.Health.and.Human.Services,.and.2-1-1.of.WNC.contributes.information.about. services. in. Buncombe,. Henderson,.Madison,. and.Transylvania.counties...The.site.can.be.accessed.online.at.www.nccarelink.gov.

Carolina Homeless Information Network (CHIN) is.a. project. of. the. North. Carolina. Housing. Coalition. that.operates. a. database. of. state. homeless. information...Homeless. service. providers. use. the. system. to. collect.and. share. information. about. clients. experiencing.homelessness.. . Now. case.managers. at. these. agencies.have.direct.access.to.2-1-1.of.WNC’s.database.from.within.the.CHIN.database,. streamlining. the. process. of. helping.these.clients.access.community.services..

Printed Directory 2-1-1. of. WNC. has. printed. a. Directory. of. Community.Services.in.Buncombe.County.to.make.it.easier.for.people.who. need. help. to. get. information. about. local. services...The.directory.lists.more.than.1,000.nonprofit,.government.and.community.programs...

Books.are.$30.each.and.available.for.purchase.Monday-Friday,.8:30.AM-5:00.PM.at.United.Way.of.Asheville.and.Buncombe.County,..50.South.French.Broad.Ave.,.Asheville..

In. late. fall. 2010,. we. anticipate. the. release. of. a. joint.directory.for.services.available.to.residents.of.Henderson.and.Transylvania.counties..

With.our.partner,.NC 2-1-1,.we.provide. free.access. to.a.searchable. online. database. at. www.211wnc.org. where.users.can:.

• search.by.specialized.service.topics,.• view.services.on.a.map,.• email/text.message.search.results,.and• create.accounts.to.save.frequent.searches..

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barometer

2-1-1 of WNC is a Social Barometer.Because.2-1-1.of.WNC.talks.to.people.from.all.walks.of.life.and.direct.people. to.all.kinds.of.community. resources,.we.are.in.a.unique.position.to.notice.trends.in.our.community...

2-1-1. of. WNC. shares. this. information. with. community.decision-makers.such.as. local. coalitions,.area. institutions,.elected.officials.and.more...This.information.can.be.helpful.to.those.crafting.or.advocating.for.various.public.policies.or.community.projects..

2009 StatisticsCalls 48,646

Online.Database.Searches 14,858

Total.2-1-1.of.WNC.Inquiries. 63,504

In.2009,.we.saw.a.30.percent.increase.in.calls.from.2008,.and.for.the.first.time,.we.began.tracking.associated.financial.needs.. .The. total.was.staggering. -.$1,093,823. in. reported.needs..

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•Utility.Bill.Payments•Food.Pantries•Housing.Expenses•Christmas.Programs•Homeless.Shelters•General.Legal.Aid

•Community.Clinics•Food.Stamps•Intake/Assessment.for.Mental.Health.Services

•Home.Rental.Listings

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Buncombe87.5%

Transylvania2.2%

Madison.2.0%

Henderson8.3%

12,433

4,756

4,526

3,917

3,029

2,637

1,898

1,343

1,222

730

Basic.Needs

Health.Care

Organizational/.Com

munity/

International.Services

Crim

inal.Justice.and.Legal

Services

Individual.and.Fam

ily.Life

Income.Su

pport.and

Employment

Mental.H

ealth.Care.and

Counseling

Consumer.Services

Environm

ental.Q

uality

Education

Caller Needs by Category

Top Ten Needs

Top Ten Unmet Needs

•Utility.Bill.Payments•Christmas.Programs•Housing.Expenses•Automotive.Repairs•Transportation.Expenses

•Gas.Money•Utility.Deposits•Rental.Deposits•Homeless.Shelters•Food.Pantries

Inquiries By County

42.5%38.4%

14.1%

1.6% 1.3% 1.2%

Utility.&.Heat.Assistance Rent.&.Mortgage.Assistance

Medical/Dental.Assistance Funeral/Burial/Cremation.Services

Prescription.Expense.Assistance Other

Financial Needs of Callers = $1,093,823.4142.5%

38.4%

14.1%

1.6% 1.3% 1.2%

Utility.&.Heat.Assistance Rent.&.Mortgage.Assistance

Medical/Dental.Assistance Funeral/Burial/Cremation.Services

Prescription.Expense.Assistance Other

12,433

4,756

4,526

3,917

3,029

2,637

1,898

1,343

1,222

730

Basic.Needs

Health.Care

Organizational/.Com

munity/

International.Services

Crim

inal.Justice.and.Legal

Services

Individual.and.Fam

ily.Life

Income.Su

pport.and

Employment

Mental.H

ealth.Care.and

Counseling

Consumer.Services

Environm

ental.Q

uality

Education

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real lives

United. Way. of. Asheville. and. Buncombe. County. is.advancing. the.common.good.by. focusing.on.education,.income. and. health.. We. believe. these. are. the. building.blocks.of.a.good.life.for.everyone..

As.a.program.of.United.Way.of.Asheville.and.Buncombe.County,. 2-1-1. of. WNC. provides. quality. information. to.individuals. and. area. professionals. on. a. wide. range. of.available.health.and.human.services.and.resources,.many.of.which.fall.in.the.areas.of.education,.income.and.health..

As. a. result,. 2-1-1. of. WNC. is. in. the. unique. position. to.bear.witness. to.what. our. neighbors. face.. .The.previous.statistics.give.us.a.sense.of.scope.and.scale...The.stories.that.follow.put.a.face.to.those.numbers.and.remind.us.why.United.Way.of.Asheville.and.Buncombe.County.and.2-1-1.of.WNC.work.to.create.opportunities.and.inspire.hope.for.a.better.tomorrow.

EDUCATIONLynne. called. 2-1-1. of. WNC.because.she.was.concerned.about.her.youngest.child...

She. felt. her. toddler. wasn’t.developing. at. the. same. pace. her.older. children. had,. and. he. might.be.delayed.in.meeting.some.of.his.milestones...

2-1-1.of.WNC.provided.Lynne.with.a.referral.to.a.local.early.intervention.program. where. she. received. an.

evaluation.for.her.child.and.linked.with.supportive.services.to.help.him.progress.toward.kindergarten.readiness..

INCOMECarolyn,. like. many. residents.in. Western. North. Carolina,.experienced. the. impact. of. the.economic. downturn. first-hand.. Her.search. for. employment. was. not.going. well,. and. her. savings. were.nearly.depleted..

Carolyn.called.2-1-1.of.WNC.to.find.help. for.Christmas.and.also. to.find.community.resources.to.help.in.her.search.for.employment..

The.pressures.of.being.unemployed.at.the.holidays.were..lifted.when.she.was.referred.to.a.program.that.let.her.sign.all.five.of.her.children.up.for.gifts..

She. also. had. a. brighter. outlook. about. her. employment.search. by. the. time. she. received. a. follow-up. call. from.the. 2-1-1. of.WNC.Referral. Specialist.. One. of. the. 2-1-1.referrals.she.persued.produced.a.job.lead.and.she.had.an.interview.scheduled.in.the.coming.days..

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ADVOCACY2-1-1. of. WNC. advocates. on.behalf. of. individuals,. helping.them.receive. the.benefits.and.services. for. which. they. are.eligble..When.none.exist,.2-1-1. of. WNC. offers. support. in.finding.creative.solutions.

Steven. was. looking. for. help.to. purchase. a. bus. ticket. to.another. state.. .Transportation.expenses. has. consistently.

been.one.of.the.top.five.unmet.needs.by..tracked.by.2-1-1.of.WNC..

Steven.had.been.in.foster.care.his.whole.life.and.after.being.released.from.the.military.came.to.the.area.to.reunite.with.his.mother..Due.to.circumstances. in.his.mother's. life,.he.had.to.unexpectedly.leave.her.home.and.go.to.a.shelter..

Although.there.are.no.agencies.that.assist.with.out-of-town.bus.vouchers,.our.Referral.Specialist.got.him.in.touch.with.an.aunt.who.bought.him.a.bus.ticket.

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HEALTHThe. topic. of. health. care.has. been. big. news. in.the. media. and. papers.recently..However,.2-1-1.of.WNC.Referral. Specialists.talk. to. callers. everyday.who. . are. uninsured,.underinsured. or. lack.adequate.healthcare...

John.called.2-1-1.of.WNC.because.his.wife.had.a.painful.and. severe. dental. infection. that. was. interfering. in. her.ability.to.eat.and.talk..

The. couple. did. not. have. insurance. and. they. were. not.eligible. for.Medicaid.. . They. found. themselves. at. a. loss.for.solutions..A.2-1-1.of.WNC.Referral.Specialist. located.a.free.dental.program.that.could.see.John's.wife.that.day..

John.called.back.a.few.days.later.to.say.his.wife.was.doing.much.better..He.said.she.likely.avoided.greater.health.risks.because.she.was.able.to.get.the.infected.tooth.pulled..He.was.thankful.for.the.service.provided.by.2-1-1.of.WNC.

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“2-1-1....

caller quotes11

Contact us• Do.you.have.questions.about.community.resources?• Do.you.need.to.update.your.agency’s.database.listing?• Would.you.like.training.on.using.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.receive.our.e-newsletter?

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

Find us in the places you like to be...

50.South.French.Broad.Avenue,.Asheville.NC.28801

www.211wnc.org./.info@211wnc.org

Our Partners United.Way’s.2-1-1.of.WNC.is.a.collaborative.effort.between.the.United.Ways.and.county.governments.of.Buncombe,.Henderson,.Madison.and.Transylvania.counties.

Underwriting In.addition.to.funding.provided.by.the.partners.listed.above,.we.thank.the.following.underwriting.sponsors:

platinum

gold

Progress.EnergyBlue.Ridge.X-Ray