Iowa 211 Has Answered Over 35,000 Calls Since Beginning of COVID-19 Pandemic
Accepts $25,000 Gift from Iowa Credit Union Foundation
Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa 211 announced today that it has just reached the milestone of 35,000 calls from Iowans since the pandemic began. Iowa 211 began fielding calls using information provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health on March 8. Since beginning that partnership, nearly 20,000 Iowans from all 99 counties have contacted 211 via telephone, text or the 211 app to ask questions specifically related to COVID-19. An additional 15,000 calls have been received with more typical 211 requests related to employment, housing, food, transportation, utility assistance and other human service needs.
“Iowa 211 is pleased to serve as a trusted source of information for Iowans. We appreciate the Iowa Department of Public Health’s confidence in the capabilities of our statewide service,” said Melissa McCoy, 211 Director. “We have experienced a 300% increase in call volume since March 8th. Our four call centers collaborated closely to rapidly scale up the necessary staff and technology to meet the needs of Iowans.”
211 connects Iowans to basic needs resources such as food, shelter, healthcare, transportation and childcare. It is also often a first point of contact for Iowans who have immediate needs during disasters. In this pandemic, the service experienced an initial surge of calls from Iowans who were just learning about COVID-19 and seeking better understanding. Calls have evolved to more traditional human service requests as economic impacts from the crisis have been felt all across the state. More individuals are now calling 211 to seek to connections to unemployment benefits, food distribution, rent and utility assistance, as well as looking for help related to mental health needs.
On Thursday, Iowa 211 also announced receipt of a gift of $25,000 from the Iowa Credit Union Foundation to provide support for capacity building within the system. Jaimie Miller, Executive Director of the Foundation, said, “On behalf of the Iowa credit union movement, we are grateful for organizations like Iowa 211 that have been on the frontline during these uncertain times. Through the Foundation’s new Emergency Relief Fund, we are proud to support statewide efforts like this that are meeting the critical need of Iowans.”
Iowa 211 will continue to serve Iowans throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Callers can reach 211 by dialing 2-1-1, texting their ZIP code to 898211, visiting 211iowa.org or downloading the 211 Iowa app.
