CINCINNATI (Feb. 8, 2023) —

Dear United Way friends,

"They really did it!"

That is how a Hamilton County couple reacted recently after United Way 211 care coordinators helped them get emergency rent relief. Larry, 65, is an Army veteran who lost a leg after being hit by a drunk driver. He and his wife had always paid bills on time until major car repairs and a rent increase caused them to fall behind.

So, Larry called 211, the United Way Helpline.

Each year on and around Feb. 11 — National 211 day — we celebrate the helpline that operates 24/7 to connect callers to vital community resources. In essence, though, every day is 211 day. Last year, our Helpline answered 46,489 calls. Housing was the most frequent reason people sought help, followed by assistance with utilities.

Feb. 11, 2023, marks the 20th anniversary of 211's launch locally. The 211 database now includes information about nearly 1,500 agencies and organizations as well as almost 2,900 programs. For people who would rather look up information themselves rather than make a call, we will soon unveil a redesigned 211 online search tool to make it more user-friendly and easier to find community resources.

But 211 is more than a comprehensive resource. Our care coordinators are compassionate people who treat each caller with respect.

Larry said he was pleasantly surprised that one of our care coordinators called him "sir." He said another care coordinator treated him like a family member. "You have some good people working for you," Larry said.

I wholeheartedly agree. For us, helping our neighbors is what it means to Live United.

Sincerely,

Moira Weir
President/CEO
United Way of Greater Cincinnati