Colorado & Denver News

DENVER (CBS4) ― Denver area relief agencies simply can't keep up with the demand for help and services. The agencies are turning people away now, which is making the job of the Mile High United Way's 211 hotline all the more difficult.

Calls to the hotline are up 30 percent over last year.

The 211 operators are running out of places to refer people who call because the agencies are running out of money.

"What happens is people just don't get the help which is why it is so important to push the message," said Robert Thompson of the Mile High United Way. "It's up to you and me -- we have to give a little more this year if we can give at all."

Selinda Costa was among those who called 211 after she found herself without a job for the first time in 25 years.

"And they gave me some referrals and so I called the referrals, but they're like 'We're out of funds until next year,'" Costa said. "Now, what? That's the question I ask now because where do you go?"

United Way officials said more than half of the people calling the 211 hotline have never asked for help before.

Help with paying rent and getting food are the two most common needs right now.

The United Way is urging people who are told there are no resources to call back because things change day to day and week to week. 

About 211

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.

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 out periodic reports so that nonprofit organizations can allocate their funding accordingly.

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.

(© MMX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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