| Making Connections |
Meet Justin
Lead Information & Referral Specialist
Justin is our Lead Information & Referral Specialist assisting with staffing and training. Each day, Justin encounters stories like the one we’ve described here in Laguna Hills. Justin has been a team member for over two and a half years.
"I have a passion for helping people and giving back to the community. 211 OC is a great place for it. I love the atmosphere and especially the people I work with."- Justin
A neighbor calls 2-1-1...
and makes a difference
After seeing her neighbor’s home go into foreclosure, a compassionate Laguna Hills resident wondered how she could help the newly evicted family. Like many California residents, she began to realize how isolated her and her neighbors were. She hardly knew them and, in fact, she could not recall ever speaking to them. She wanted to reach out even if the gesture seemed to come too late.
Later that week, she noticed that the family was living in its van a couple of blocks away. She took action and called 2-1-1. Our call specialist gave her referrals to local agencies close to Laguna Hills that provide bags of food, transitional shelters, food stamp assistance, and free health insurance for children.
After speaking to our specialist, the neighbor approached the family with a bag of food that she herself had collected, and a list of potential resources she had compiled by calling 2-1-1. She let them know that if they needed anything else, she was right down the street, and that help from 2-1-1 was only a call away.
2-1-1 OC is made possible by the support of people like you.
Please consider a donation today, www.211oc.org/donate |
| Back to School with 2-1-1 |
Find the Resources Your Child Needs for a Healthy School Year
Every year, 2-1-1 Orange County receives calls from parents seeking help for their children as they start a new school year. Their needs range from schools supplies to free immunizations. Families whose children may need additional assistance or screening due to developmental delays will be directed to Help Me Grow Orange County, a countywide initiative and a unique partnership with 2-1-1 Orange County that seeks to connect children and their families to developmental services.
How can we help you?
2-1-1 Orange County and Help Me Grow Orange County offer parents peace of mind. Your child’s educational experience is closely tied to his or her learning abilities and behavioral tendencies. Resources are available to ensure a well rounded healthy school year for your children. Call 2-1-1 today to speak with a specialist who will listen to you and direct you to the resources most relevant to your needs. And receive information on a variety of concerns, including:
- Developmental programs for Autism
- Resources on food allergies for your children
- Vaccination locations for whooping cough
- After school and day care programs
- Fitness and sports leagues
- Lunch programs
- School uniforms and backpacks filled with school supplies
|
| 2-1-1 OC Sees Increasing Calls from Families Facing Foreclosure |
In July 2010 alone, there were 3,527 new foreclosure filings in Orange County. In total, the county currently has 21,951 homes in foreclosure, up for auction, or already bank owned. (Source: RealtyTrac.com). Where do these families go and what do they do? Many of them call 2-1-1.
2-1-1 Orange County diligently works to connect families facing foreclosure to agencies that can help them through the difficult process. Our information and referral specialists offer something so greatly valued by callers in financial trouble: a caring voice on the other end of the line. A majority of callers who have received notice of foreclosure have never before reached out for social services or basic needs, and, by doing so, have jumped a huge emotional hurdle by simply making the call.
If you know someone facing foreclosure, let them know that by calling 2-1-1 they can get information and referrals regarding:
- Nonprofit and government agencies that can help with mortgage payments
- Free assistance for loan modifications
- How to determine if a company that has solicited funds from you or someone you know is licensed to provide loan modification
- Free, HUD approved, foreclosure avoidance counseling
- How to report illegal real estate conduct to the appropriate law enforcement agencies and officials
- Free help for scam vicitims
Call 2-1-1 Orange County today for more information. |
|
2-1-1 Orange County continues to see the impact of this prolonged recession. Our call specialists receive close to 50 requests for shelter every day. HBO is now airing "Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County" illustrating the dire needs of working families, the same families that call 2-1-1 each day seeking help. The documentary showcases the world of children who live in motels very close to Disneyland, many of whom, have parents that work full time yet can only afford a motel room to call home. The film offers a candid lens on the needs right here in Orange County highlighting the great work of the nonprofit Project Hope. I encourage you to watch this documentary, and start a conversation with your friends and neighbors. It is vital that we highlight the growing need in our community and continue to support non-profits like Project Hope. 2-1-1 Orange County provides thousands of referrals a month to help the newly poor and economically vulnerable stay on their feet.
-Jeff Lutz, Board President
To learn more about the film visit, http://tinyurl.com/211kids.
To become involved in our efforts, visit, www.211oc.org/get_involved.
|
 |
|
 |
| |
 |
We've updated our
mission statement! |
We listened.
We refined.
And we're now proud to unveil
our new mission statement:
To help people find
the help they need.
Tell us what you think by emailing us at:
getconnected@211oc.org |
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
| |
Club 2-1-1:
Empower Your Community Now |
|
|
 |
|
 |
Make a minimum donation of $25 for 2010 membership:Click Here
 "When I lost my job a friend told me to call
2-1-1. They helped me when I felt completely lost. It was a relief to have someone to put me in the right direction."
–Anonymous Caller, Costa Mesa, CA
Over 15,000 people in need were connected to resources and services July through August. This is made possible by the support of donors like you.
Membership has its benefits.
Help the life of someone in need, donate now. |
|
|
|
| |
RSVP Today!
Annual State of the Agency October 26,2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
Please join colleagues for a dynamic discussion on the state of human services and the changing roles of nonprofit leaders.
Special keynote presentation by Jeffrey R. Wilcox, CFRE CEO, Third Sector Learning
To view full event details and RSVP information, click here.
Interested in Sponsorship?
Please contact Paula Evans at
949-486-8517 or pevans@211oc.org |
|
|
