Calls to 211 have increased during pandemic

Shortly after the beginning of the pandemic, calls to the 211 help line doubled.

FINANCES.

WORKERS AT 2-1-1 AREAVAILABLE AROUND THE CLOCK TOHELP.

WPTV NEWSCHANNEL FIVE'STANIA ROGERS WITH HOW THEYWERE THANKED TODAY IN THMIDST OF DOING A TOUGH JOB.JLILLY "WE ARE HERE TO LISTENI HAVE MANY OF MY CALLERS SAYI'M THE FIRST ACTUAL PERSONTHAT THEY HAVE SPOKEN TO."2-1-1 RESOURCE SPECIALISTSAVAILABLE 24/7 TO ANSWERCALLS.

THE CALLS RANGE FROMDEPRESSION, TO SUICIDALTHOUGHTS TO A LOSS OF INCOME."WE ARE GETTING CALLS FROMPEOPLE WHO ARE WORRIED THATTHEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLETO PAY THEIR RENT." "2-1-1SAYS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC THEYAVERAGED ABOUT 200 CALLS PERDAY.

THEY SAID WEEKS AFTER THEPANDEMIC STARTED, THEIR CALLSDOUBLED." "PEOPLE ARE WORRIEDABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY.PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THEYCAN GO TO GET TESTED." BUT FORA FEW MOMENTS THE CRISIS TEAMIS GETTING A BREAK.... A MEALDELIVERY TO THANK THEM FORWHAT THEY DO FOR THECOMMUNITY.

"MY DAD FOUNDED2-1-1 FORMERLY KNOWN AS CRISISLINE ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO SOTHIS ORGANIZATION HAS ASPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.

TOBE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THISORGANIZATION IS VERYMEANINGFUL TO ME PERSONALLY."THE LORD'S PLACE PREPARED THMEALS.

"OUR CLIENTS ARE THEIRCLIENTS.

THE FOLKS THAT CALL2-1-1 ARE ALSO COMING TO THELORD'S PLACE.

AND LOOKING FORHELP.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TOSUPPORT EVERYBODY IN THECOMMUNITY." A WELCOME GESTURE."THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE INMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS A LOT OFPEOPLE IN FINANCIAL CRISIS.

SOIT'S A GOOD BREAK FOR US TO BEABLE TO GET OUT AND SOME FRESHAIR AND GET SOME FOOD." "IT'SWONDERFUL THAT GL HOMES ANDTHE LORD'S PLACE JOSHUACATERING HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAYTHANK YOU TO OUR STAFF WHO ARECARING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE."TANIA ROGERS, WPTV,NEWSCHANNEL FIVE.IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLESTRUGGLING TO KNOW THEY ARENOT ALONE.

THERE IS HELP.RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEBSITE...WEHAVE A LIST OF WAYS TO CONNECTWITH PEOPLE VIRTUALLY, GETCOUNSELING OR MANAGE YOURSTRESS.

JUST GO TO WPTV DOTCOM SLASH REBOUND.TODAY HOUSE DEMOCRATS GRILLEDATTORNEY GENERAL WIL