|
NJ 2-1-1 Fosters Independence
by Providing Help and Hope
As we near another Independence Day citizens throughout NJ are fighting for theirs. More people than ever before are reaching out to NJ 2-1-1 in need of information about basic services that will help them to… stay in their homes, feed their children, locate health coverage and services, find the temporary financial assistance that will carry them through as they search for permanent solutions. NJ 2-1-1 answers these calls reliably, compassionately and responsibly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all through the year; without time off for vacations or holidays.
We received over 340,000 requests for resource information in the past year alone with our Internet requests climbing 600% since May of 2008.
– excerpt from testimony given June 4, 2009, by NJ 2-1-1 executive director Laura Marx at NJ Telecommunication and Utilities Committee Hearing.
|
|
“We are dedicated to providing this service, especially during these difficult economic times when so many in our state are searching for solutions,” states Laura Marx, executive director of NJ 2-1-1. “Again and again our call specialists offer tangible assistance by providing information about programs that exist as well as contact names and numbers.” After 4 full years of service, NJ 2-1-1 is well established in our state and more and more people do exactly what our tagline suggests: “Need Help? Start Here.”
In recent months, when we knew how many in the state were feeling the pinch of the poor economy, we asked local United Ways to help us spread the word about 2-1-1 in their communities. It was essential that we heighten our outreach efforts given the economic climate and yet we didn’t have the money in our budget to support local radio ads or any other kind of promotional effort. That’s when we turned to the United Way offices with the hope that they would be able to enlist volunteer efforts to distribute our literature to locations frequented by those in need. The response we received was impressive.
United Way volunteers throughout the state took to the streets and delivered wallet and panel sized cards bearing our message and the 2-1-1 number to places of worship, hospitals, schools, food pantries, unemployment offices, corporate human resource departments and anywhere else they thought people might go to find help.
The United Way of Union County, under the direction of Shanee Helfer, their community impact associate, coordinated an effort that started with leaders in different agencies and industries throughout the county and enlisted their support in distributing materials. The estimated cost of their efforts was less than $50.
The result is that 2-1-1 cards are now being distributed to everyone who walks through the door of any agency that partners with United Way of Greater Union County, as well as people who are seen in the prosecutor’s office, domestic violence shelters, drug and alcohol programs and even those who are enrolled in safe driving classes given by the AARP. Shanee went so far as to reach out to the superintendent of schools and with his help will be distributing 2-1-1 information to school children throughout the county this fall. The school system has also agreed to hang 2-1-1 posters in every classroom.
Other United Ways have achieved admirable results at little cost as well. Bill Dennison of United Way of Central Jersey enlisted the involvement of corporate volunteers from Johnson & Johnson to distribute materials throughout the county. Cindy Bonura of Bergen County’s United Way, Linda Robinson from United Way of Burlington County and Roberta Kestenbaum of United Way of Hunterdon County each coordinated direct mail campaigns which distributed 2-1-1 materials to strategic locations in their areas.
As we near our country’s 233rd anniversary on which we celebrate our nation’s independence, let us take a moment to celebrate the people throughout New Jersey who are struggling so hard to find solutions that will enable them to achieve independence as well as the thousands of hard working professionals and hundreds of agencies throughout our state who are devoted to helping citizens achieve a more stable and secure future.
|
