2-1-1 Calls Related to Emergency Services
The United Way of Pierce County 2-1-1 Call Center serves as a resource and referral hub for individuals and families in need of assistance. Currently, the center handles approximately 45,000 - 50,000 calls per year. It is expected that this number will grow to approximately 75,000 calls annually. If unduplicated, this will eventually represent about 10% of the county’s population. The trend for calls into the 2-1-1 call center for both basic food and housing related issues has been increasing since 2005. Basic Food Issues: The number of 211 calls for basic food issues tends to increase during the last two quarters of each year. Calls for basic food issues have risen from 433 calls in the third quarter of 2006 to a high of 841 calls in the fourth quarter of 2008. During the third quarter of 2010, there were 615 calls for basic food issues which marks an increase of 27% compared to the third quarter of 2009. The data for this indicator does not reflect calls for holiday meal assistance, which during the fourth quarter of 2005 numbered 357 calls. During the fourth quarter of 2009 there were 2,976 calls for such help.
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| Source: United Way of Pierce County 2-1-1 Call Center |
Housing/Shelter Related: Calls for permanent, affordable housing as well as for domestic violence shelter, emergency shelter, and transitional housing have increased significantly over the last five years. Using the fourth quarter of 2005 as a benchmark, there were 548 calls for housing and shelter related issues. During the third quarter of 2006, there were 1,904 calls for housing and shelter-related issues. The number of calls increased by nearly 60% during the same period in 2007 when 1,464 calls were taken. The highest number of calls received for housing and shelter related issues came during the third quarter of 2008, when 2,421 calls were taken. In the third quarter of 2010, 1,875 calls were taken, a 17% increase over the same period the previous year when 1,616 calls were taken. Homeless Prevention: The number of calls for homeless prevention services such as rent, utilities, and mortgage assistance has increased significantly since the third quarter of 2006 when 1,904 calls were taken. In the third quarter of 2007, the number of calls decreased to 1,353 calls but during the same period in 2008, the number of calls reached 2,421 taken for this issue. The third quarter of 2010 marked the highest number of calls taken for this issue. In the third quarter of 2010, 2,729 calls were received for homeless prevention issues, 3% more than the 2,646 calls for homeless prevention services during the third quarter of 2009.
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| Source: United Way of Pierce County 2-1-1 Call Center |
