South Sound 2-11: Get Connected. Get Help.

By Guest Blogger, Walter Neary, Content Manager, Internal Communications at MultiCare

Thirty seconds into the phone call, there is a piercing scream that would give you tinnitus in your ear if you don’t already have it. J’nai Starks smiles. This isn’t new to her when she answers a call to South Sound 2-1-1.

A child began screaming while her mother is on the phone. Of course, the mom must pause in her conversation with Starks. “I’m sorry I don’t know what just happened,” the mother says to Starks as the mother makes sounds consistent with comforting a child.

“It’s OK. I have children. I can wait for you,” Starks says.

The mom settles the child, and the call to 2-1-1 continues. The Parkland woman had just started receiving food aid, and workers had suggested she call 2-1-1 for other services that might help her.

When you support the United Way, you support this 2-1-1 service. United Way is well known for allocating funding to nonprofits with a proven track record of lifting people from poverty. But United Way also operates a service used by countless MultiCare patients and their families: the information resource 2-1-1. By calling 2-1-1, the same way you’d dial 911 in an emergency, a caller can get an enormous amount of advice and resources to provide support in difficult times. 2-1-1 is operated in South Puget Sound by United Way of Pierce County and supported statewide by a broad variety of United Ways including United Way of Spokane County.

Starks is not only building empathy during the call, but also filling out a form about each caller that then taps a database of thousands of resources. The names, numbers and hours of social service agencies that might help this particular caller fly up on the screen. On her second screen, Starks cuts and pastes those resources for a text message she’ll be sending the mom. It will be a personalized survival guide for someone dealing with poverty.

“Thank you. I don’t know what to ask for because I don’t know what is out there,” the mom says.

Starks is one of a dozen operators in the mini call center at the time of this visit. Some of them have more than a crying baby to deal with. On the other side of the room, another conversation is pausing for a different reason. The caller must be distraught, for the 2-1-1 specialist can be overheard telling the caller, “It’s OK. Take a long, deep breath for me.”

“We get that a lot,” Penni Belcher says later. Belcher is the Director for South Sound 2-1-1 at United Way of Pierce County.

United Way is presiding over a revolution in how they provide 2-1-1 service. The new 2-1-1 is not your father’s 2-1-1 or even your big sister’s 2-1-1. Lately, the organization wants to get to know people when they call. And in a new twist, there are times when 2-1-1 is just as likely to

call someone who might otherwise call in.

Getting to know you

The 2-1-1 specialists are in a call center. They’re not selling anything, far from it, but they’re sitting at cubies and conducting call after call. So that’s why this new approach is so surprising.

In most call centers, you want to make the sale and get the customer off the phone so you can take the next call and make another sale. In the old days of 2-1-1, it was totally appropriate to get one question – What’s the food bank closest to me? – and answer it and boom, all done and good. Next call.

Today, 2-1-1 specialists are told to trust their instincts and try to determine if there might be reasons someone wants the food bank or whatever resource they’re looking for. Have they lost their job? Are their bills overwhelming? Are they about to be homeless?

And so, Belcher’s team is drawing out conversations.

“We want folks to call in because we want to have a conversation with them. We want to hear their story. We want to dive deep and understand what’s going on throughout the household so we can offer wraparound services and build that rapport and trust,” Belcher says. “This is about supporting the person during the conversation, not about spelling out the name of the street that a resource is on.”

So how do you get to know someone on the phone when they’re just asking for one thing?

“Usually our people start with ‘Can you tell me more? Can you tell me why you need help; did you lose your job? What happened that you had to pay this unexpected bill?’” says Denise Cervantes, Transportation and Training Associate. “We might ask them  to tell us more about what happened, find out why they don’t have money for their rent. “

So to become a 2-1-1 specialist, you must be able to do more than just look up a food bank address quickly. When hiring, “We look for a high level of energy and personability, the ability to have deep conversations that go on for a long time with people who they don’t know,” Cervantes says.

So you heard it right. This is a call center that actually wants its calls to be longer. Of course… some people just want the address. And that’s just fine. But on the longer calls, 2-1-1 usually finds it can recommend more services than the caller had first predicted.

“A lot of times, people may call about bills or particular services. You may not find out, until you dig deeper, that they need child care to help lift themselves out of their situation,” Belcher says. ”We allow people to tell their story. We’ve trained our people to listen more.

That’s been eye opening.”

2-1-1 calls you

There are a couple of reasons that 2-1-1 might be the one calling you. For one thing, there’s a great emphasis on measuring their results. So when 2-1-1 refers someone to a place, 2-1-1 will follow up with a call to see if the person actually visited or called.

But the most innovative reason to call is a pilot program where 2-1-1 is trying to prevent homelessness. It’s part of a program established by Pierce County to try to help families at risk of homelessness. The program has been going on for years now through in-person visits. Someone identifies the household at risk, and someone from a social service agency then visits the person.

That’s exactly what United Way of Pierce County is doing, but they’re not visiting. They are calling people from the call center.

One of the people making the calls is Elvia Beltrane. Beltrane used to be one of the specialists helping people who call in, but now in the pilot her role is called “Housing Solutions Navigator.”

Beltrane calls people and in a conversation that could take hours, works to identify solutions to their situation and most importantly, help people understand that they have it within themselves to find answers.

“When I hear expressions of self-doubt, I try to encourage them that there’s ways of dealing with their situation. When I hear signs of self-doubt and self-pity, it’s my cue to try to boost them up,” Beltrane says.

She uses the example of a pregnant woman who was living in a car with her first child, who’s now 19. She had originally called 2-1-1 to get resources. The staff flagged her as someone homeless, and Beltrane called her. She helped the woman set some goals and identify temporary solutions; the woman and her daughter now have a place to live and the woman is working in a call center in Lacey.

“The other vital piece besides listening is to work with them on their goals and their next steps. We talked about how we will we take what we’ve learned today to build momentum to get out of this current situation,” Beltrane says.

What that means in practical terms is that people are staying in touch and letting Beltrane know how they’re doing, even after they’re no longer homeless.

Belcher says, “Families are staying in contact with Elvia longer-term, I’ve seen her get messages like, “Hey Elvia, I wanted to let you know I just got my GED. Or I’ve got a job interview. There’s a relationship where she’s been supporting them.”

This is different than the old 2-1-1 where the employee had to be careful to spell out street names and was just trying to offer a resource. Now United Way of Pierce County is offering communications and empathy – and more assistance and support to those who need it most.

Would you like to support 2-1-1 and the United Way’s attack on poverty? Click here to learn how to support the United Way campaign.

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United Way of Pierce County operates South Sound 2-1-1, which connects nearly 90,000 contacts each year in Pierce, Thurston and Lewis Counties.

Curbing the Summer Slide: Read United At Meal Sites

Summer break is highly anticipated and celebrated by most children. However, for children who rely on school for meals and reading enrichment, it can be a challenge. Did you know that children can lose up to two months of learning over the summer break? For children in high-need areas with no access to books or summer learning activities, the loss can be even greater. Read United: Summer is designed to keep children engaged and excited about reading and learning over the summer months. United Way of Pierce County staff, interns and volunteers visit free summer meal sites in high-need, low-access areas throughout the summer to read with kids and give away books for the children to keep and read at home anytime!

For the first time, United Way of Pierce County is helping to ensure children are receiving supplemental snacks to feed their bodies in addition to books to feed their minds over the summer! On United Way Worldwide’s Day of Action in June, 3,050 Summer Snack Packs and 150 Summer Learning Packs were assembled. We are grateful to our corporate sponsors and volunteers, whose support made this project possible. The snack packs, which include healthy packaged items and shelf-stable milk, will be distributed each week to 150+ children at the Read United: Summer sites in Tacoma, Lakewood and Franklin Pierce school districts. Children in attendance will also have the opportunity to sign up for ongoing engagement for 6-8 weeks and receive a Summer Learning Pack to keep them motivated.

Research on book deserts, areas that lack of access to print reading materials, show that the summer months drastically limit book access in high-poverty neighborhoods, according to Urban Education. The effects of the summer slide are cumulative: losing months of learning each summer can place children an entire grade behind their peers over the duration of their elementary education and researchers estimate that by the time a struggling reader reaches middle school, summer reading loss has accumulated to a two-year lag in reading achievement.

Join us and make a difference for a child in need this summer. By bringing together caring individuals, resources and summer feeding and reading programs,you can take advantage of a great opportunity to support summer learning and cultivate a love of reading with children. This is a multi-disciplinary approach with  Hunger-Free Pierce County to enhance the educational component of their work. Through effective partnerships, we trust more children can be impacted by this approach.

For more information about Read United, please email volunteer@uwpc.org or register for a lunchtime volunteer session here volunteer session here

A Fresh Start for Melissa

We recently received a letter of thanks for South Sound 2-1-1 support. Elvia, one of our amazing team members, got this lovely thank you that we want to share with you. Without your support we would not be able to help tens of thousands of Pierce, Thurston and Lewis County residents every year!

"My name is Melissa. I have a 19 year old daughter named Stephanie who I had when I was 16. Now I’m having a baby boy due on August 13th. We were leaving a domestic violence situation and were homeless, living in a car, when I reached Elvia at 211. She provided many resources that helped me to meet our needs, including a gift card to help me get some things for the baby. I was able to find a more consistent job and an apartment for us! With the financial help that was provided, we were able to move into our new home on June 15th.... in time for my baby boy! I am so grateful for the help and fresh start for me-- and more importantly my children. Thank you so much!" Melissa

To learn more about South Sound 2-1-1 visit our web page, download the annual 2-1-1 report or make a gift to support our work!

Paying it Forward with 2-1-1

By Guest Blogger, J'nai Starks, South Sound 2-1-1 Workforce Navigator 

I have always been a person that has a passion to help people in need. Even in grade school, I always made a point to speak to our janitors because I knew that there is more than what you see on the surface.

Everyone has feelings and is important to someone else.  In fact, without workers like this, our infrastructure would crumble.

I have carried this attitude throughout my life. In my late teens and early 20’s I would go out and feed homeless people on my own. Taking my own money and making sack lunches, and not just PB & J sandwiches either, but full-on lunches. The look on their faces when they opened those bags filled my heart with happiness and gave me hope.

I myself have been in crisis and there was nowhere to turn. This left me in a position of feeling hopeless. One day, I saw a sign somewhere that said just that, “Nowhere to turn? Call 2-1-1.” So, I did. I was connected to resources to help me in my time of need. 

I personally know the struggle of the 2-1-1 caller being vulnerable and feeling shame in asking for help. That’s why I know I must always bring compassion, empathy and empowerment with me every day to work so I can be that bright spot in someone’s day.

Many times, I have had someone call in tears, to say they don’t know what to do-- or where to turn. By the end of that call, I have identified resources and provided words of encouragement so they know to keep fighting and also to know, that this storm will pass.

One person I remember very well is Gary. He was scared and crying and worried about his health. He wanted to know where to go to get a health test. During that call, Gary shared that he was homeless and living in his car. He also told me, he didn’t want to live anymore, because life has gotten so hard.

I wanted Gary to know that it was going to be ok and life was worth living.  So I took the time to talk to him but mostly I listened.  Much of our job involves listening so we can find the best solutions for each person.

I encouraged Gary to be strong and whatever challenges he faced-- to know he can get thru it.  By the end of our call he was laughing and told me he had the will to live. Gary said he felt that no one listened to him, but I took the time to let him vent, speak his heart and listen to him as he explained his life to me.

Not only did I provide resources for where he can go to get a health test but I also provided resources to Gary over the phone and thru email which included shelters, safe parking, local food pantries and gas vouchers.

Gary responded to me later that day saying: “You gave me hope this evening, your voice made me feel like I was not alone anymore. This is a testament to your courage and ability in your job and your unwavering support for broken people. You gave me hope and it instilled. I cannot express how deeply your words meant to me. You took away my fear regardless of the pending outcome.”

One week later, I followed up with Gary and he told me:  “Everything is going great! Your help, helped! So far, I'm doing much better and I guess I had to go through all of that to sharpen me more.  I have utilized church services for: Gas, a phone card and food pantry services-- so far my health is better! And my test was negative.”

That is just one of many stories. Which is why I do what I do and why I love it. Without 2-1-1, many lives would be at stake financially, emotionally and physically.  Each of us are here on earth to do our part – and building up our community to be the best that it can be, by being a member of the 2-1-1 team, I am given the opportunity to do just that every day.

I love working at 2-1-1. To know that I am helping our community, one member at a time warms my heart and makes me want to be a better person every day. Thank you for your time and I hope each of you are doing your part as well.

My Story...So Far

By Guest Blogger Markiss Cooper, owner/partner, iHAUL

I became a father at the early age of 16. I was soon paying child support, which is tough when you’re a kid and you’re still in high school. In no time at all, I was $3,000 in debt and that debt just kept growing. I dropped out of high school so I could work. As you can imagine, that debt stacked up and I was on an uphill battle just to survive, much less find a path forward.

Fast forward, I got my high school diploma and started community college where I earned my associates degree. During that time, I got married and we have a wonderful 7-year old daughter.

I moved to Tacoma where I worked in a charter school where things were very tumultuous. My uncle introduced me to Tim at Sound Outreach and with Tim, who runs united Way’s Center for Strong Families. Right away, I connected with Tim—he’s someone I can really talk with. I got myself set up with a financial coach, went through literacy training. I grew my savings while I improved my credit score. These may seem like small things, but they grew into bigger things.

For example, my credit score went from the low 500s to the high 700’s. Once I understood more about what I could do with the assets I had, then it opened up my eyes to other possibilities.

I was so proud the day I could buy a 2012 Sierra pick up. Because you see, I had always been entrepreneurial and taken on odd jobs to help people move things and it was Tim who planted the seed in me. What if I could start my own business?

That’s exactly what I did. In January 2018, iHAUL, was launched--the hardest working logistics partner in South Puget Sound.  It’s true. Today, I am running my own business. It’s a small start-up with big ideas. We provide White Glove Delivery Service, Room-of-Choice Service for Residential and Commercial Deliveries. Each of my team members are expertly trained, hard-working and honest home delivery movers, who are just as dedicated to their work.

They’re like most people who struggle but work hard. I am proof that you can reach your goals and I am grateful for United Way’s Center for Strong Families and for Sound Outreach for taking a chance on me. It was also one best decisions I’ve ever made. Besides marrying my wife and having our family together.

Nourishing our Community

By Guest Blogger, Sue Potter, Executive Director, Nourish Pierce County. 

Sue Potter (right)

Nourish is the largest network of Food Banks in the County, operating 24 distributions sites.  Our reach is vast.  Last year, one-third of all food bank visits in the county are to a Nourish food bank. In fact, 7% of Pierce County visited a Nourish food bank at least once last year.  We couldn’t reach that many people in need without partners like the United Way.

I’d like to publicly thank United Way for the generous donation of a refrigerated vehicle. It sounds so simple, but let me tell you, it has helped us to redistribute thousands of pounds if fresh produce to over 61,000 food bank customers. The addition of a refrigerated box truck, brings the total number of vehicles in the refrigerated vehicle fleet to five. These vehicles are used for food rescue, meal delivery, gleaning and perishable donation pickups, resulting in nearly 250,000 pounds of food and the equivalent of more than 220,000 meals. Thank you all for making it a priority to move people out of hunger in our community.

Having fresh produce has helped us to improve the variety of nutritious food options. Fresh fruit and produce at food banks is The Gold Standard and because of United Way, we meet this standard. The latest truck in our fleet is gold and we lovingly refer to her as Goldy.

I want to tell you about Debbie, who still tears up when she talks about her trips to the Nourish Pierce County food bank. “It’s just temporary … just temporary,” she says.

She and her husband recently suffered through a series of difficulties and suddenly found themselves not able to make ends meet. Since she lost her job, they’re on one income for five people.. She was working in a warehouse and making a decent wage, but physical limitations and trying to “keep up with the kids” left her out in the cold.

Adding to the woes, both her car and her husband’s car died on their way to work just a few weeks apart. After 12 years without car payments, they now have two. She tells us, if it wasn’t for the food bank, we would have to decide between food and paying our expenses. This is a godsend. The food they get here lets them know they are going to have enough food to last you a week or so.

'Goldy' the newest in the fleet

Debbie and her family are one of thousands of people in our community who would not have food if it wasn’t for the support of partners like United Way of Pierce County. They are one of the driving forces behind Hunger-Free Pierce County. And by driving, in my case, I mean literally. United Way has funded mobile food delivery in the County.