Here is a story about one of our 211 callers, as told by Daphne, a 211 call center specialist at United Way of the Bay Area.

Darla, a San Mateo County school-district worker, knows what it’s like to have her finances fall apart because of illness. When her father had open heart surgery, she had to give up her job in order to care for both of her aging parents.

Her husband’s income wasn’t enough to keep up with the bills, and they were soon falling behind on rent, PG&E, and water. Darla said she was so shocked by one month’s water bill that she made her husband check to see if there might be a water leak (there wasn’t).

She felt her life was in constant stress, and because of her dad’s rising medical bills, she needed to ask for her help.  When she called 211, I picked up the phone.

I was able to refer Darla to several local agencies that could help her family get back on track – programs that provide temporary rent and PG&E assistance, as well as discounts on auto insurance and the internet service that she uses daily to home school her daughter. I also referred Darla to a program that, if her parents are eligible, could pay her to take care of them.

Darla was surprised by the number of resources we were able to give her and thankful.

If you find you are in such financial distress that you don’t have enough money for food – or perhaps even for a place to live – call 211. Our call center specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist people who suddenly find themselves in financial peril, which can happen alarmingly quickly in these tough economic times.

Stay up-to-date on 211 in the Bay Area: “like” us on Facebook.

The holidays are right around the corner, and United Way wants Bay Area residents to get connected!

GET HELP:  Call the 211 helpline today to see if you are eligible for holiday assistance programs, such as free holiday meals, food, and toys. Resources are limited and demand for holiday help continues to be extremely high, so it is important to call 211 early to connect with programs that serve our region.

GIVE HELP:  211 can also connect people who wish to give help to nonprofits seeking volunteers and donations.  Dial 211 to connect with opportunities such as serving holiday meals, organizing a food drive, or donating toys to children in need.

Residents who cannot dial 211 should call 800-273-6222 to reach their local 211 call center. For the hearing impaired, dial 415-808-4440 (TTY) or 711.

211 is an easy-to-remember, toll-free phone number that connects callers with local community services, such as food, shelter, counseling, employment assistance, quality child care and more. 211 is confidential and available 24 hours a day in more than 150 languages.  For more information, visit www.211BayArea.org.

Photo courtesy of Mosman Council via Creative Commons license.

On September 27 and 28, United Way‘s 211 helpline was joined by more than 50 professional financial experts to provide free financial advice to Bay Area residents during the first-ever San Francisco Financial Advice Line in partnership with the San Francisco Office of the Treasurer

Jose Cisneros, Treasurer-Tax Collector for the city and county of San Francisco (left), spearheaded the 211 Financial Advice Phone-a-Thon. He is pictured with United Way CEO Anne Wilson and his staff member, Leigh Phillips.

More than 230 calls were answered on topics that ranged from bankruptcy to retirement planning.  Callers were able to speak directly to certified financial planners from the San Francisco Financial Planning Association and consumer credit counselors at Consumer Credit Counseling Service of San Francisco to help get the financial assistance that they need.

Jose Cisneros, Treasurer-Tax Collector for the city and county of San Francisco, spearheaded the event though his Office of Financial Empowerment.  He commented, “Our success this week comes from the strong partners we’ve worked with to make the phone-a-thon happen –211, United Way, Consumer Credit Counseling San Francisco, and the Financial Planning Association.  That all these folks are willing to donate their services is tremendous.”

The advice line was covered live by KPIX (Channel 5) News as well as by ABC-7 consumer advocate Michael Finney.

Ralph Latza, President of the San Francisco Financial Planning Association, which recruited financial experts for the advice line, said, “In this environment, people want to know where to turn.  With this inaugural event, we are creating doors and opening them so people at every level have access.”

If you missed the 211-advice line, you are encouraged to attend upcoming Financial Planning Days in the Bay Area (http://www.financialplanningdays.org) near you.  For example, San Francisco’s Financial Planning Day will be held on October 22.

KPIX interviews a volunteer. Click on the links in this blog post to see TV news coverage from KPIX and ABC-7.

The San Francisco Financial Advice Line was made possible through the partnership of:

• United Way’s 211 Helpline
• Charles Schwab
• Consumer Credit Counseling Service of San Francisco
• San Francisco Financial Planning Association
• San Francisco Smart Money Network
• San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment
• San Francisco Office of the Treasurer
• San Francisco Mayor’s Office
• Wells Fargo

To learn more about 211, dial 211 or visit www.211bayarea.org

Flu season has officially arrived.  Information about flu shots in the Bay Area is available by simply dialing 211.  Your local 211 call center can provide information in over 150 languages about where to get flu shots.

In the United States, influenza season usually begins in October and can last until May.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older should get a yearly flu vaccine. It takes about two weeks after vaccination to develop an immune response.

Residents who cannot dial 211 should call 800-273-6222 to connect with your local 211 call center.  For the hearing impaired, dial 415-808-4440 (TTY) or 711.

Photo courtesy of mcfarlandmo via Creative Commons license.

211 is partnering with the San Francisco Treasurer’s Office to ensure more low-income families in the city participate in the Kindergarten to College (K2C) program.  Our 211 call center specialists will make calls to 1,135 San Francisco families during the next few weeks to encourage them particpate in the program, activate their accounts and start savings for their children’s future. 

“Most people know 211 as the number to call when they need help.  But we also partner with programs like Kindergarten to College to boost outreach efforts by making outgoing calls,” said Helen Rosen, director of United Way’s 211.  “We are pleased to partner with Treasurer Cisneros’ office to help spread the word about this important program. Our goal is to get as many parents as possible to activate their children’s accounts and start saving.”

K2C is a college savings initiative for kindergartners entering the San Francisco Unified School District. Each eligible child starts kindergarten with a savings account.  To jump-start their savings, qualifying families receive $50 in their new accounts from the City and County of San Francisco.  Additionally, the first $100 saved will be matched with an additional $100. The children, and their families, are encouraged to contribute to the account throughout grade school and high school. 

“Savings has a significantly positive effect on children and families — research has shown that a child with a college savings account held in his or her name is seven times more likely to attend college than one without, regardless of income, race or academic achievement,” said Leigh Phillips, Manager, Office of Financial Empowerment, Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector, City and County of San Francisco. ”We believe that K2C will increase academic aspirations by making college a reality from the first day of school. As the program motto says, ‘Save Steady, Dream Huge.’”

Learn more about Kindergarten to College at www.mysavingsaccount.com/K2C.