United Way operating human services hot line
PA 2-1-1 Southwest, a free human services hot line operated by the United Way, is now fully operational and professionally staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Westmoreland, Fayette, Armstrong, Allegheny and Butler counties.
“We are excited that PA 2-1-1 Southwest is now fully operational in Westmoreland, Armstrong and Fayette counties,” said Bobbi Watt Geer, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Westmoreland County.
“By making one phone call to 2-1-1, our residents will now have quick access to help with a wide variety of human service issues.”
Available on a limited basis in the five-county region since July, PA 2-1-1 Southwest has already fielded nearly 17,000 calls from people seeking human service help.
A six-month report shows that the majority of callers from Westmoreland, Fayette and Armstrong counties were seeking help with housing and utilities, followed by food, shelter, clothing and transportation assistance.
“In just six short months, PA 2-1-1 Southwest has already connected nearly 17,000 people with aid and services,” said Julie DeSeyn, director of PA 2-1-1 Southwest.
Since its pilot in July, PA 2-1-1 Southwest has proven to be a valuable resource. PA 2-1-1 Southwest made more than 1,633 referrals to local housing agencies in an effort to connect callers with Emergency Homeowner Loan Program (EHLP) funds during the short time period the funding was available. Homeowners in Fayette County received $487,000.
PA 2-1-1 Southwest also conducted a survey in conjunction with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Food Security Partnership to discover why there was a major discrepancy in the number of families who participate in the Free and Reduced School Lunch Program verses families who access the Summer Food Service Program. In Fayette County, 8,448 residents were accessing the Free and Reduced School Lunch Program, while only 2,525 (30 percent) were taking advantage of the Summer Food Service Program.
The survey determined that while 76 percent of the survey respondents were likely to be eligible for the Summer Food Service Program, more than 75 percent were unaware of it. More than 78 percent of respondents requested additional information about summer food programs near their homes.
As a result of the survey, the Southwestern PA Food Security Partnership is now beginning a Summer Food Service Program outreach campaign in an effort to increase awareness about the program and will be using PA 2-1-1 Southwest to help spread the word.
The United Way is working to further expand the PA 2-1-1 Southwest service area to include Beaver, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer and Washington counties by the end of 2013. A PA 2-1-1 Southwest website that will allow users to search for resources by need and location is in development.