Original Source: Toledo Blade
By Elena Saavedra Buckley
The United Way of Greater Toledo announced today that its 211 call center, a hotline that allows people in Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, and Hancock counties to call for assistance with local resources such as food, shelter, and health, will be operated by the United Way of Greater Cleveland.
Effective Aug. 1, local 211 calls that had been taken by 13 United Way of Greater Toledo employees will instead be handled by 10 employees who can work remotely for the Cleveland branch rather than operators working in the Toledo building. Three additional employees in Cleveland will be hired for the partnership to maintain the database and connection to local food banks, shelters, and other resources, United Way president and CEO Karen Mathison said.
While current local United Way employees have top priority for these positions, not all will be able to count on finding a position with Cleveland. The United Way employs five full-time people and 13 part-time in the 211 call center, but only 13 spots are available after the partnership.
To a caller in one of the four counties, the change will be “seamless,” Ms. Mathison said. In 2015, the hotline provided 104,286 referrals to Lucas County residents alone.
The partnership makes financial sense for the Toledo agency by reducing its staff and operations, but Ms. Mathison said it was also a strategic decision to build a stronger statewide network. Cleveland has greater resources in marketing and outreach, and they’ll also help Toledo into the 21st century. In addition to the tradition phone call, users will be able to send texts and conduct online chats through the new setup.