NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Governor Cooper activated the NC 211 hotline as part of the state's emergency response to COVID-19. Now, 211 said it's averaging about 1,000 calls from across North Carolina a day.
The top requests for the calls included housing, healthcare, and food assistance. What can NC 211 do for you? Heather Black with the United Way of North Carolina joined 2 Wants to Know to tell you.
“North Carolinians contact 211 for a variety of reasons, from how do I file for unemployment? Where can I find food to put on the table? And how do I pay my rent now that my income is gone?" said Black "211 truly is for everyone. Whether you’re in a crisis or need a little more information about state guidelines, we’re here to talk you through your concerns.”
NC 211 is a United-Way-funded information and referral service. Accessible via an easy-to-remember, three-digit number and available 24/7 in over 180 languages, families and individuals can call to obtain free and confidential information on health and human services within their community.
There is a new resource available to people through 211, made possible by a partnership with AARP.
“When someone calls 211 and identifies themself as a caregiver our team knows a little more about the resources they need do you need meals delivered a few days a week so they can be free to do other things, maybe they need a support group, maybe they need to learn some skills around caregiving maybe they need a group that has info on Alzheimer's or dementia to help them understand how to interact with their loved ones,” said Black.
This new feature of 211, like others, is free and available to anyone in North Carolina. You can call any time of day, any day of the week.
In addition to finding information over the phone, North Carolinians can also search NC 211’s database of resources by visiting nc211.org and entering their need and location. This updated search tool makes it easier for residents to find services quickly if they don’t have time to make a phone call.