As the United Way of Greater St. Louis (UWGSL) campaign begins, it is important to reflect on the programs and services that our community’s support helps and one of the most crucial is UWGSL’s 211 helpline.
211 connects people with local agencies, including United Way’s safety net of over 160 nonprofit partners, that help our neighbors during times of crisis.
211 is free, confidential, and available to community members 24/7 through a phone line, texting, mobile app, online chat, and web directory. Multilingual service is also available through 211 for up to 250 languages. It manages more than 200,000 inquiries for help each year with the top requests for help being for housing, utility assistance, and food resources.
UWGSL’s Robin Pokojski oversees 211 as Vice President of Community Partnerships and in her 16 years at UWGSL she’s had a transformational impact through her work.
“It is such an honor to be able to help people make positive changes in their lives,” said Robin. “It’s just in my blood to want to help people, and when you ask people in my department, ‘Why do you do this?’ The answer is always the same – we get to feel what it’s like to actually help people and have that immediate gratification in knowing that you helped somebody.”
Kevin Smith is one of the individuals who works with Robin, and being a 211 navigator for the past three years, he gets to see firsthand how 211 makes a difference. He responds to dozens of calls per day, connecting callers to resources needed to help people live here and thrive.
“It’s very rewarding because being in a region with 3 million people, I get to talk to 150 every day that need help,” said Kevin. “I don’t know these people, but I treat them with the utmost respect and show them that I’m very concerned with their welfare and needs, and I do the best I can with the resources that I have to help.”
Kevin was especially empathetic when one day he came across an elderly woman in crisis. She was living on a fixed income with increasing expenses that were seemingly all coming at her at once.
She needed a new water heater for her home that cost $1,900, her gas bill increased by over 40%, and her home had plumbing and weatherization issues that all needed repairs. The cost of maintaining her home became unaffordable and burdensome, and she appeared to be emotionally overwhelmed during her phone call with Kevin.
Kevin worked to help the woman get access to affordable home repairs, found two referrals that were willing to help her with her water heater as well as two counselors who provided her with additional support.
Over the course of a 15-minute conversation, someone’s life and home were restored because of the resourcefulness and compassionate care of our 211 navigator.
“Many folks are one situation away from needing assistance,” said Robin. “It could be a car breaking down and now you’re at risk of losing your job which of course puts everything at risk. 211 can be useful for anyone because you never know where or how your life can derail.”
211 is there for times like these and navigators like Kevin are always standing by to help 24/7.
“A lot of people that call don’t know where to turn to, but if they can speak to someone that understands them and shows that they care, it means the world to them and totally changes their disposition,” said Kevin.
Take action now:
- Find out more at 211helps.org.
- Share this story with family and friends.
