Press release from United Way of Henderson County:
In honor of National 211 Day on February 11, United Way of Henderson County (UWHC) encourages residents to spread the word about this vital service that helps millions of people across North America, and thousands of people in Henderson County each year. 211 is a free, confidential information and referral system that connects callers and online visitors at any time of day or night with the local health and human services they need.
NC 211, managed by United Way of North Carolina and supported by local United Ways, answered 182,848 calls in 2020 during a global pandemic that continues to cause economic hardship for thousands in our community. The top needs identified included housing, utilities, healthcare, food assistance and support/advocacy. There were 730,000 sessions on nc211.org in 2020, and 4.5 million informational text messages were sent to text subscribers.
“The team at NC 211 has been working tirelessly to respond to the huge increase in calls during the pandemic,” reported UWHC Executive Director Denise Cumbee Long. “We are thankful for their dedication to the residents of Henderson County, and the quality care they continue to provide during these difficult times,” she added.
Every day, clients contact NC 211 to access free and confidential crisis and emergency counseling, food, healthcare and insurance assistance, housing and utility payment assistance, employment services, veteran services, and childcare and family services. NC 211 is also a part of the NC State Emergency Response Team. When activated during a disaster, NC 211 becomes the public information portal for disaster related information. Governor Cooper activated NC 211 as part of the state’s response to COVID-19 on March 18, 2020, and it continues to serve as a vital resource for pandemic related information.
Dial 2-1-1 to reach call centers 24 hours a day, with language translation available, so that anyone can speak with a real person at any time of day. Residents may also access more than 19,000 resources via nc211.org to get connected and get help.
About United Way of Henderson County
United Way fights for the health, education, financial stability, and basic needs of every person in Henderson County. If you would like more information on United Way, contact United Way of
Henderson County at PO Box 487, Hendersonville, NC 28793, 828-692-1636, or visit online at liveunitedhc.org. You can also find UWHC on Facebook and Instagram.
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