Housing and Utilities Assistance Top List of Services Sought by Massachusetts Residents, Food Requests on the Rise

Ahead of National 2-1-1 Day February 11, United Way's nationally operated telephone number that connects people with community services experienced a dramatic increase in basic needs requests among Massachusetts residents. Topping the list of services Massachusetts residents sought most in 2011 were housing (eviction/foreclosure prevention, homeless shelters), utilities payment assistance and food assistance (food pantries and food stamps).

"Basic needs assistance is increasing at a striking rate," said Paul L. Mina, executive director of Mass2-1-1. "Residents seeking housing-related help topped the list of requests again this year however food related assistance grew by 77.8 percent from 2010 to 2011. This increase highlights a shift from callers concerned with big tickets items such as mortgages and rental assistance to requiring help with the smaller ticket, day-to-day items."

Call volume in Massachusetts surpassed 82,000 in 2011, a sharp increase from the 30,000 calls it received at the beginning of the recession in 2006. In 2011, 20,749 residents requested help with housing, an increase of 20.6 percent over the previous year (17,200 in 2010), 10,573 residents requested help with utilities (9,513 in 2010) and 9,493 residents sought help with food through United Way's 2-1-1 service (5,340 in 2010). Dramatic increases were also seen in residents seeking assistance with income support (up 57.8 percent between 2010 and 2011), educational services (up 49 percent from 2010 to 2011) and employment assistance (up 47.7 percent from 2010 and 2011).

United Way's 2-1-1 website (www.mass211help.org) also saw increased traffic in 2011 having answered more than 100,000 searches for the first time since it launched on July 1, 2006.

"The Patrick-Murray Administration thanks the United Way Chapters of Massachusetts for their partnership and dedication to helping individuals and families across the Commonwealth," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. "I encourage residents in need of assistance to contact United Way's 2-1-1 service, a free, 24/7 resource that helps those in need navigate available services to get them back on their feet more quickly."

Those residents seeking assistance through 2-1-1 also include returning service members who have been overseas as the recession wound down. For some their homecoming is proving to be a wake up call to the new economy.

"Unfortunately many returning veterans will be unemployed or underemployed and they will require help navigating their options within a poor job market," Mina continued. "The most common call from returning service members is about discovering they are no longer employed by their former companies. While their employers were required to hold their jobs for them during deployment, there is little consolation when their business has gone bankrupt or their entire department has been redundant."

A caller to 2-1-1 will reach a trained Information and Referral Specialist who will help them prioritize their needs, explore the options and programs that are available and make referrals to services that will best fit the caller's needs. 2-1-1 I&R specialists empower callers by educating them about programs so that informed decisions can be made.

On February 11, 2-1-1 centers across the nation will celebrate National United Way 2-1-1 Awareness Day to highlight the vital role this service plays in communities across the nation. Currently, over 86% of the U.S. population has access to a 2-1-1 service which received more than 16.4 million calls in 2010. 2-1-1 is available to all residents of Massachusetts.

Learn more about United Way's 2-1-1 service by visiting www.mass211help.org. If you are unable to contact us by dialing 2-1-1, or are calling from out of state, please call us directly at 1-877-211-MASS (6277).