“I honestly can’t believe I’m in this situation,” she said when she called. “I’ve always worked and been able to pay my own way. When I lost my job a few months ago, I realized that the little bit of savings I had wasn’t going to go very far. I need help making ends meet.” This is what we are hearing at the 2-1-1 call centers more and more.

Citizens in New Jersey who never thought they would have to worry about a real financial crisis are feeling the pinch of the worsening economy. As the unemployment rates rise and an additional 27,000 people in our state are added to the number of those currently looking for work this month, NJ 2-1-1 is answering the call for help. The organization has dedicated an entire section of its Web site at www.nj211.org to addressing the changing needs in local communities.

At the top of the list of needs expressed by callers and visitors to the site is a request for help in finding financial assistance. “These inquiries go far beyond the requests we typically get at this time of year for help with toys or holiday meals,” says a veteran call specialist. “Now we are hearing from people who say they’ve never had to ask for help before, but they’ve lost their jobs, or their mortgage has been readjusted, or their hours were cut back and they really are having trouble paying basic bills like food, housing and utility expenses. It’s a scary time for people.”

In anticipation of this increase in need, NJ 2-1-1 researchers began building a resource section on the 2-1-1 Web site entitled “Help in Hard Times” that includes in-depth pages focusing on such things as Avoiding Foreclosure, Utility Assistance, Food and Nutritionand Living Through a Layoff. Other soon-to-be-added topics include Staying Healthy When Times are Tough, and Living on a Limited or Fixed Budget.