Press Release: NC 211 Handles 50,000 Calls During COVID-19 Response

Posted on June 9, 2020 - Young Leaders United, organization, Volunteering, Press Release, Tocqueville Society, Reading Room, COVID-19, place matters, basic needs, new-release, Women's Leadership Council, 10-Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 9, 2020

Kim Thore, Chief Marketing Officer

United Way of Forsyth County

Kim.Thore@uwforsyth.org

 

NC 211 Handles 50,000 Calls During COVID-19 Response

 

Winston-Salem, North Carolina – United Way’s 211 has been responding to callers from all corners of the State since Governor Cooper activated NC 211 as part of the State’s response to COVID-19 on March 18th. At 12:34AM on Wednesday May 27th, a 211 Call Specialist handled call number 50,000. From western North Carolina, the caller was seeking help finding a COVID testing site and did not know where to turn. The NC 211 call specialist was able to provide the caller with information on where they could find testing site information and the number for a local health care provider to contact the next morning.

211 Call Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week –and not just during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the support from local United Way organizations across North Carolina, NC 211 is here 365 days a year to help North Carolinians facing individual and family crises. NC 211 offers information and connects to local resources, such as, help paying a utility bill, finding food to make it through the month, or where to turn for support in caring for an aging parent. For 16 years, NC 211 has helped connect North Carolinians to health and human service resources that meet their needs.

“United Way of Forsyth County is proud to support NC 211 and their team of dedicated call specialists, who are working around the clock to offer relevant information to callers during COVID-19” states Cindy Gordineer, President and CEO of United Way of Forsyth County. “This pandemic has impacted community members all across the state and we are grateful to provide this resource during such a difficult time.”

For information about United Way of Forsyth County please contact Kim Thore, Chief Marketing Officer, United Way of Forsyth County.

For more information about the statewide NC 211 system, please contact Heather Black, NC 211 State Director at hblack@unitedwaync.org.

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United Way of North Carolina is a statewide organization, supporting 51 local United Way organizations and administering the 211 system. For more information about NC 211 visit nc211.org or visit nc.211counts.org for a dashboard of caller needs by county or zip code.