For those who may not know, what does a typical day look like for you as UWWF’s 211 Resource Manager?
Day to day varies based on where we are in the month! I spend the beginning of the month working on reporting and throughout the month working with making sure things are updated in our database and networking with the community!
What is something about 211 that you wish more people in our community knew?
211 is 24/7 in our area, nights, weekends, holidays! We are here all the time to work with the community and they don't have to wait to ask for help. And even if a person calls and there are no resources, we can help troubleshoot and find alternatives that someone may not have thought of.
When Hurricane Isaias hit our area, how did your role and the work of the 211 team change? What did those first few days look like behind the scenes?
When the Emergency Operations Center activated, myself and other 211 representatives were activated with the EOC. I was in full networking and resource gathering mode, along with our other resource affiliated team members. Our primary goal is to not spread misinformation to the community and to also provide information in the EOC about what the current needs are for folks in the community so that the EOC can direct the flow of resources. Our call center staff became 100% activated as well! We pulled folks in to help out with the higher call volume that happens post disaster.
When someone calls 211 during a disaster, what kinds of help can our team connect them with, and how do you help navigate their needs when resources are stretched thin?
Our biggest struggle is the resources post disaster because things change quickly and its hard to get on the ground information. Sometimes it may take a day or two to get information about what's happening because of the damage on the ground- but that doesn't mean the need goes away! We talk with folks about what alternatives they can access and give them updates about where things are sitting. For example, we had updates on road closures and FPL power return status information that we were providing to folks post landfall to help the community know the status of what was being done on the county level.
Can you share a moment from your work with 211 that has stayed with you and reminded you why this work matters?
Most of my most potent moments of working with 211 are during disasters. It is always so inspiring hearing community members come together and working together. I've talked with folks who have gone through devastating losses being the nicest and most compassionate people during disasters.
What are some of the biggest challenges people in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are facing right now, particularly as they work to recover from Hurricane Isaias?
Right now, it's mostly food recovery and home repairs. Many folks lost food from the power being off and were not expecting to have to spend more unbudgeted money for food. We're also in limbo when it comes to Individual Assistance- we're still waiting on that Major Disaster Declaration to get assistance with home repairs.
211 is often associated with helping people find resources during a crisis. How does the service also support people who are struggling with everyday needs, even when there isn't a disaster?
We've still been getting folks during the disaster looking for rental assistance and utility assistance- just because a disaster happens, doesn't mean day to day life stops. We work with connecting those folks with resources available in the community and work with troubleshooting options for them. For example, if they can't afford to pay all their rent, we talk about wether or not they could use their food budget on their rent and go to a food pantry instead so that they don't become homeless. We also give folks the opportunity to vent and talk about the frustrations of dealing with a crisis.
What does it take to keep 211 running around the clock, especially when a disaster affects our own team members and their families, too?
We have done a lot to make sure that our staff is able to access internet and power when there is a disaster like Hurricane Isaias. We have internet hotspots provided to the staff members and we have locations that folks can go where there will be power and internet to keep working. We're also mindful of our call center staff being locals as well! Almost all of our staff were impacted in some way by Isaias. In cases where we were struggling to get folks on the phones because they were stuck and without power and internet because of debris, we reached out to our 211 network! We are connected to other 211s throughout the state and country and we were able to get help from other 211 call centers in answering our community's calls.
What is the most rewarding part of your job, and what keeps you motivated when the needs in our community feel overwhelming?
Its so rewarding to see our community come together and work together to help each other. I always find it inspiring to see everyone coming together to help.
How can community members help support 211 and UWWF’s disaster recovery efforts, and what would you want people to understand about the difference their support makes?
Community members can help spread the word that 211 is available 24/7 and there is always someone there to talk to them. It may take some time during a disaster and recovery because there's a lot of folks in need, but we are here and ready to help! As we are recovering and moving back to blue skies, it's important to know that, while things may be quickly going back to normal for some folks, its going to take a while for others. By providing help to recovery funds like UWWF's recovery fund, we can help bolster those nonprofits helping folks at those critical junctures to keep them housed and with food in their homes. Disaster recovery is not a sprint, it's a marathon. Being patient with your neighbors and donating where you can to reputable agencies can make a huge difference in whether that marathon is able to be completed.