United Way of the Bay Area Blog
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Information about flu vaccinations in the Bay Area is available in more than 150 languages by simply dialing 211. Download and print our 211 Flu Shot flyer and hang in your office’s break rooms, bathrooms and waiting areas. United Way’s 211 call center can answer questions, such as: Where is the vaccine available in my county? [...]
Fall is peak season for the highly contagious disease known as pertussis (whooping cough), which is characterized by severe coughing. So far, there have been more than 4,000 reported cases in California in 2010 — seven times the number seen in a typical year. Vaccination is the best defense against whooping cough. Information about pertussis [...]
August is back-to-school time. Updating immunizations, sorting out tutoring and deciding on after-school care can be very challenging for parents and students. 211 can help make this hectic time of year a bit easier. By simply dialing 211, families can get answers to questions such as: * Where can my child receive low-cost immunizations? * [...]
For hundreds of thousands of Bay Area residents, 211 is a vital lifeline connecting them to important services like food, housing and employment assistance. This fall, United Way will launch this one-stop phone number in San Mateo County, making our dream of a Regional 211 system a reality. People all over the Bay Area will [...]
U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo and United Way gathered business and community leaders at a rally today at a UPS facility in Sunnyvale to urge Congress to approve the Calling for 211 Act (H.R.211/S.211), which will expand the 211 information and referral service to all Americans. The bill will support expansion of 211 to the entire [...]
Communities throughout the Bay Area will begin free summer meal programs for children this month, serving meals on weekdays throughout the summer at summer-school and community sites. All children 18 years old and younger are eligible, regardless of their families’ income. Families are encouraged to dial 2-1-1 for free meal information in more than 150 [...]
Despite reports that the economy may finally be recovering, Bay Area nonprofit organizations – and the clients they serve – are still reeling from the recession, according to United Way’s eighth annual Bay Area Nonprofit Pulse Survey. The financial well-being of the Bay Area nonprofit sector continued to erode in 2009. Fifty-one percent of survey [...]
Domestic violence is on the rise due to lasting unemployment and increased financial strains on families caused by the recession. Economic stresses often lead to more frequent abuse and can make it harder for victims to leave abusive relationships because they lack financial resources. Yuri, a call center specialist for United Way’s 2-1-1, shared a [...]
United Ways of California are now organizing our fourth annual Capitol Day, which will take place in Sacramento on May 5. Last year, more than 50 United Way staff and volunteers from across the state met with legislators to promote our public policy agenda. This year’s event will continue strengthen United Way’s relationships with California’s key decision [...]
Last year, 2-1-1 helped 15,791 Bay Area residents connect with food assistance programs. That represents an 88% jump in requests for food assistance from the previous year. Here is one caller’s story: Ms. Williams, a 72 year old senior living on Social Security and a widow’s pension called 2-1-1 needing assistance with food. The limited income she [...]
