Colorado & Denver News

DENVER (CBS4) ― Mile High United Way started the 211 line in 2003. It's the number people can call to get information and referrals for all kinds of health and human services organizations.

Since then, the service has grown to cover all of Colorado with the exception of some areas in the southwest. The call volume has grown each year. The next major milestone for the line was to provide service every hour of every day, and organizers met that goal in 2007.

"We know that people need services at any time, not just during business hours, so we're very excited that the 211 service can be available not only during business hours but at night and on weekends," said Rich Audsley, interim president at the Mile High United Way.

Mile High United Way has 16 staff members working in a call center in Denver. They take the bulk of the calls for the Denver Metro Area. That call center will be staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday - Friday. In the evenings and weekends, calls will be transferred to a call center in Kansas. Call agents in Kansas will have access to the same database of services that the call agents in Denver use.

"We've been testing the system the last few months and have found that we've had more calls than we anticipated," Audsley added.

Most of the callers to 211 are in need of financial assistance for utility bills or rent. Many people call for information about shelters or housing programs. Others ask for food referrals. 211 offers information and referrals on a wide range of topics including GED and ESL classes, senior services, after-school programs, licensed childcare facilities, legal assistance, mental health assistance and much more.

"When you can call the United Way and tell them what your problem is, they are going to focus on that solution for you and give you answers that you need," Debra Williams told CBS4.

Williams called 211 when she needed help paying for an electronic wheelchair. Last year, Williams' right leg was paralyzed in an accident. Her doctor prescribed the electronic wheelchair to get her back to work. Insurance paid 80 percent of the bill but that left $940 that Williams had to finance.

"So I started panicking, going through a lot of stress (and thought) 'How am I going to get this?'" Williams said.

After talking to a 211 call agent she had a list of eight agencies that offered the kind of help she needed. She was able to call the various agencies and make arrangements to get her wheelchair. Now that she has it, she's looking forward to getting back to work.

"When you get off that call with them, you have hope, and that's important to have -- hope," Williams said.

Not only does 211 help the individual that's looking for a particular service, but it's also a wealth of information about what services are being requested. The Mile High United Way puts our periodic reports so that nonprofit organizations can allocate their funding accordingly.

"We continue to see a lot of people that are paychecks away from financial issues, and so we project in the Denver area that at any given time there are about 20,000 people that are right on the cusp of getting into a dire situation," Audsley told CBS4.

211 is also a valuable resource for getting information on how to help in your community. Call agents can offer information on mentoring programs, volunteer opportunities or agencies in need of donations.

Organizers at Mile High United Way are encouraged by the success of the line so far and look forward to helping additional clients through their new 24/7 service.

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