2-1-1 Call Center Extends Support to Hurricane-Affected Communities
When disaster strikes, the resilience and unity of communities shine brightest. This fall, as Hurricane Milton brought destruction to Florida, Heart of West Michigan United Way’s 2-1-1 call center stepped up to assist in ways that reached far beyond Michigan. With power and Wi-Fi outages overwhelming Florida’s infrastructure, our 2-1-1 team, along with other centers across Michigan, answered the call for help from Heart of Florida United Way, collectively handling 1,377 calls over six days. These calls were vital, connecting Floridians to emergency shelter, food, medical aid, and other critical resources during their time of need.
Locally, our 2-1-1 call center has been a lifeline this year, responding to over 30,000 calls from Kent County residents alone, assisting with needs like housing, mental health support, and job assistance. But in times of crisis beyond our community, our center is part of a nationwide network that leverages technology to assist wherever and whenever needed.
Jess Verville, our 2-1-1 Director, shared insight into how we support each other nationwide:
“2-1-1 centers across the state of Michigan stepped up once again to offer call handling support for our friends at the Heart of Florida United Way’s 2-1-1 in response to Hurricane Milton. Statewide, we handled 1,377 calls over a 6-day period as the 2-1-1 staff in Florida dealt with widespread power and Wi-Fi outages. We’ve handled calls for their center in the past while they recovered from Hurricane Ian, so some of us were already familiar with how their phone system and database work to search for resources like tarps, home repairs, food, clothing, etc. All 2-1-1 centers in the country use the same taxonomy search terms, which makes it just about as easy as flipping a switch when other centers are in need of a little support. It’s amazing that technology allows us to help those in need wherever they’re at, no matter what is going on across the country!”
This coordination among 2-1-1 centers highlights the power of unity and the shared commitment we all have to help people in crisis, no matter the distance. The technology we use allows us to seamlessly access and share resource information, connecting those impacted by Hurricane Milton with the help they needed to begin rebuilding.
Our work is possible because of our community’s support. By helping Heart of West Michigan United Way, you’re part of a network that steps in for neighbors both near and far. Thank you for empowering us to answer the call—whether it’s a family down the street or a community miles away facing the aftermath of disaster. Together, we make a difference.