United Way observing PA 211 program of helping those in need
United Way groups across Pennsylvania are celebrating PA 211 Day on Tuesday, recognizing the vital role this free, confidential service plays in helping residents connect with essential health and human services.
PA 211 operates all day, every day of the year to assist individuals in Somerset, Cambria and Blair counties in finding the help they need from housing and utility assistance to food security and childcare support – whether for themselves, a friend, or a loved one.
"211 is completely confidential and free. Anyone can use the program simply by making the call, text, or online communication," said Rick Kazmer, community relationship and marketing manager for United Way of the Southern Alleghenies, in an email. "This is a very important program that helps us to gauge community needs, in addition to helping people find the right program."
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United Way of the Southern Alleghenies funds PA 211 in partnership with the PA 211 Network. Call 2-1-1, text your ZIP code to 898-211, or search for resources online at www.pa211.org. Calls from this region are handled by a team of trained care navigators in Allegheny County, who are knowledgeable about local programs such as the diaper bank, emergency assistance programs, and early childhood education resources, that ensure children have success early in life.
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"PA 211 is a lifeline for so many people in our communities," United Way of the Southern Alleghenies President and CEO Karen Struble Myers said in a press release. "Unexpected challenges – financial or health-related – can create stress. PA 211 is there to mitigate the problems by connecting individuals to community-based resources."
PA 211 can help in situations such as:
Caring for an aging friend or relative and not knowing where to start.
Struggling to pay rent or keep the power on.
Worrying about putting food on the table for your family.
"This is a streamlined program that provides residents with an instant way to communicate with a trained care navigator during a time in their lives when they just need a little help. The navigators are knowledgeable about United Way programs in Somerset County, including our diaper bank," Kazmer said in an email. "Housing, food security, and utility assistance continue to be leading reasons whey people contact 211."
Pennsylvanians have been able to turn to PA 211 for help since 2020, according to the press release. Locally, 67% of contacts in Somerset, Cambria and Blair counties are related to housing, food, and utility assistance – with more than 6,000 requests answered within the last year alone, according to PA 211 Counts.
Madolin Edwards has been a journalist at the Daily American for 38 years, covering school boards, borough councils, sports and new stories. Contact the Daily American staff writers at news@dailyamerican.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: United Way celebrating PA 211 Day on Feb.11
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