Change #1: 21 Nov 14 -- added important precaution to para 2, below, to check for local involvement
Save a Fellow Human
Tell Them To Call "211"
1. Key Definition
211 is an easy to remember three-digit telephone number assigned by the Federal Communications Commission for the purpose of providing quick and easy access to information about health and human services.
2. Overview
As part of the Civic Mentor "human misery mitigation" bulletin-series, it makes sense to remind us ALL about the national "211" strategy.
This also gives you something EXTREMELY helpful to tell, whenever destitute fellow humans are encountered.
AND NOT JUST THE DESTITUTE -- BUT ANY HUMANS IN SERIOUS NEED OF COMPASSION AND PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE!
Tell them to call 211...
which will put them in direct contact with County (or other designated) services and open them to meaningful assistance (in most parts of the nation)IMPORTANT:
You need to check your local area, see para 4, below --
all areas may not yet be enrolled in this.
- Don't worry about no more phone booths to be found. My investigations assure me that most of our unfortunate fellows have access to mobile phones -- even if they have to ask us to call for them.
- There are also FREE cell phones (complete with limited paid-service) offered by government, socially-conscious corporations, philanthropic organizations, and the like. These "concentrations-of-human-compassion" know that it is ESSENTIAL that no human be completely disconnected from the great human network -- for then, they REALLY ARE "LOST SOULS." (Here's a Google search to show you what I mean)
- Consider -- a free phone enables the distressed to contact loved ones, to get emergency responders (for they are exposed to much criminal abuse), INCREASES THEIR CHANCES FOR EMPLOYMENT, and all sorts of rescuing.
3. Links to More Information
3.1 Here is a Google search on "211"
"2-1-1 center hours vary. Many are open 24/7 to refer callers to organizations that provide services in such areas as [the following are all clickable links]:
- Addiction counseling
- Alzheimer's assistance
- Debt counseling
- Donation opportunities
- Emergency food, such as food banks and soup kitchens
- Homeless services
- Senior citizen programs
Where available, 2-1-1 is operated by a private non-profit community-service organization, local government or local affiliates of the national organization of the United Way of America.
2-1-1 provides information and referral to callers on where to obtain assistance from local and national social service programs, local and national governmental agencies and local and national non-profit organizations as well as where to volunteer or make a donation locally.
Referrals are often given from databases accessed by call specialists. These databases could be housed off site or on site, are often regional, and linked to a specific brand of software used to access and edit database records. To ensure the most up to date referrals are given to callers information in the database should not be older than one year.
Many 2-1-1 centers are exploring Memorandums of Understanding with state and federal governments to facilitate the efficient handling of future disasters.
Television or radio stations could easily tell citizens to call 2-1-1 in the event of an emergency. Call specialists at these centers would be informed of current disaster plans or places to receive help and could then inform the public of the correct course of action. Recently[when?] in Florida, Texas, Arizona, Massachusetts, Iowa, and the Gulf Coast region, 2-1-1 centers were instrumental in coordinating with local government officials and providing information to communities before and after local disasters.
4. To See Whether There is a Call Center in Your Area
David Nelson
All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved. BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along -- and are urged to do so -- as long as it's all done free of charge, unchanged, you include this statement, AND you inform me as to how it is being used -- at YOUR convenience but, hopefully soonest.
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