OPINION: Uniting to connect Alaskans

Where would you turn ...

If you received an unexpected health diagnosis, could no longer work and could not pay your mortgage?

If you suddenly became the caregiver to your disabled grandchild?

If your car broke down and fixing it meant choosing between feeding your family or getting to work?

Alaskans who need help turn to 211

With an easy-to-remember three-digit number, 2-1-1 should be the first call when facing a new challenge.

Answering calls are 211 community resource specialists — compassionate, trained experts who actively listen, hearing what is said and what isn’t. “Talking it out is important for callers,” says Jen, our 211 call center manager. “Some may be dealing with multiple issues that are related or separate. All need answers.”

This human connection and conversation is vital. Clear guidance and help navigating complicated social services saves both time and frustration for callers under tremendous stress. In fact, it often makes all the difference.

Alaska 211 is life-changing

Since launching in 2007, Alaska 211 has provided callers with more than 560,000 connections to help.

This past year, 90% of our callers were connected to solutions that could meet their needs. While we’re proud of that statistic, we must do better.

Only when an organization joins our database can 211 specialists connect Alaskans to their services and programs. Once it does, callers benefit. Health care providers, social workers, legislative aides and school counselors leverage 211 to find support services for their clients.

By sharing real-time data on what calls we’re receiving, we are also helping Alaska make adjustments and bolster resources to better meet people’s needs.

Alaska 211 serves as a critical outreach resource

Consider this inspiring example: our partnership with the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) has opened up a world of additional resources for these students, in and out of school. By connecting them with their School District Homeless Liaison, 526 students and families received this assistance.

How can you make a difference for 211?

Alaska 211 belongs to all Alaskans. The connections 211 gives strengthen Alaskan families by getting them the assistance they need. It’s the connective tissue of the safety net we rely on to keep our children, our workforce, and our communities healthy.

211 is as strong as the resources it connects people with. To strengthen this powerful system, we need the involvement of all service providers, businesses and funders dedicated to our communities. Your contribution is crucial in ensuring that we can and will meet the needs of all Alaskans for years to come. Where will you make an impact?

Sue Brogan serves as chief operating officer for United Way of Anchorage and Alaska 211.

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.