United Way of Chattahoochee Valley brings 211 operations to Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Earlier this year, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley (UWCV) decided to bring operations for the 211 help line into Columbus to better benefit the counties the organization serves. The 211 call center is up and running in the Valley.

In just 4 weeks of the 211 launch, the UWCV is just shy of 1600 calls in total, with an average of 400 per week. That’s 400 people in the community reaching out to be directly connected to resources they need.

When someone has a need within the community, the UWCV can help them find useful resources. Whether if it’s to find a meal for their family, childcare, or housing, they can dial 2-1-1.

Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., operators are available to connect you with the help you need. You can reach operators from any cell phone or landline in the service areas.

In the past, 211 calls from the Valley area were answered at the statewide center in Atlanta. With this change, a local team can target the 9 counties in Georgia and one in Alabama specifically.

“Sometimes they would have longer wait times just because of the sheer volume they dealt with. Now that we’re local, people who might have had that experience in the past should be aware we’re not experiencing that same level of elevated weight. We have fewer calls that we can handle more directly,” said Melinda Klamer, 211 Community Resource Center Director.

UWCV serves Chattahoochee, Clay, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Stewart, Talbot and Taylor counties in Georgia and Russell county in Alabama.

To learn more about the services offered and local resources, click here.

You can also text your zip code to “898211″ to use 211 services.

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