2-1-1 Support During COVID-19
With Governor Cooper’s Stay at Home order set to take effect at 5:00 pm Monday, March 30th to help further prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, there are many questions arising from the community about how best to navigate the weeks ahead. Named the official non-emergency line by the Governor, 2-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help provide factual information provided by county and state officials and help clarify some of those grey areas that arise. Specialists also to help people find the nearest food resources, legal support, childcare, transportation, and healthcare.
Resolving Fears and Referring Resources
“Everything has been changing so quickly so most people are just having a hard time keeping up,” shares one of our Community Resource Specialists. “Many of the questions we’re receiving are around which businesses are open or closed, whether there will be assistance from utility and phone companies, and additional resources around unemployment and rent assistance. There are a lot of grey areas and we are here to relieve people’s fears, give them the facts through the factual talking points we’re provided from the Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and then refer them to the most appropriate resources to help meet their needs.”
During just one week, from March 22-28, 4,978 calls were made to 2-1-1 (according to our publicly accessible database 211counts) with the top requests made around food resources, employment, and COVID-19 specific information. In addition to being able to call 2-1-1 and speak with a referral specialist, residents can also search for resources closest to them using the 211.org database. There is also an informational text service for those interested in getting regular updates and tips related to COVID-19. To sign up text covidnc to 898-211.
“It’s important for everyone to know that we cannot give advice, yet we are going to give you the most up-to-date factual information as well as a referral to the organization or business that will best serve and meet your needs,” our Community Resource Specialist continues. “So many calls have ended with patience and gratitude for helping to clear up confusing information as we help callers navigate finding the best services to help get them the support they need.”
NC 2-1-1’s Community Resource Specialists, based in Asheville and Durham, are here to help connect North Carolinians to the information and resources they need.
Help Spread the Word. Please share this valuable resource with your friends and neighbors, and please be patient as call volume is extremely high at this time.
Help us continue this work through a financial donation.
