United Way 211 – Compassion and Excellence
Some amazing people in our community step up and help others. Jim is one of these unique heroes. In addition to working as an educator, Jim also helped care for both of his parents. Then the unexpected happened, he lost his mother and had to leave his job in order to care for his father full-time.
Jim was now unemployed, grieving, and didn’t know where to turn.
He picked up the phone and dialed 211.
Heart of Florida United Way 211 Information and Referral Line
“Hello. Thank you for calling United Way’s 211. My name is Ana. How may I assist you?” a friendly voice said on the other end.
Ana listened carefully as Jim explained his situation. Without his job and his mother to help care for his father, his condition became desperate. He told Ana, “We are at our wit’s end.” They couldn’t survive on his father’s income alone. They were in need of rent payment assistance or would be facing eviction.
Ana provided Jim with information on resources to help him and his father with rent as well as referred Jim to a local senior organization that could help with caregiver services for his father. Jim was so relieved she was there to listen and elated to see that she took the time to find him several places to seek help. He asked if he could leave a positive review for her somewhere because it was the least he could do for all the service she had provided his family.
Highly Trained for Compassion and Excellence
Success stories like this happen every day at 211 because of the highly-trained Specialists like Ana. Every person at the end of our communications, whether it is a phone call, text message, or online chat, take part in specialized training accredited by Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS).
The driving force behind 211, AIRS accreditation ensures clear, consistent, and professional standards that clients like Jim can rely on when they speak to Specialists like Ana. With the extensive training each 211 Specialist receives, members of the community, local partners, and government officials can rely on Heart of Florida United Way’s 211 to provide the best in class service to community members in need.
If it were not for this level of dedication to excellence, interactions like the one between Jim and Ana would not be possible.
“More Than Great”
When leaving a review with Ana’s Supervisor, Jim said “Ana was more than great, and she almost made me tear up. Speaking with her was so comforting, and I greatly appreciate the help she gave me during this challenging time my father and I are going through”
Click here to learn more about Heart of Florida United Way’s 211 Information and Referral Crisis Line.
