IF YOU GOWhat: United Way’s 211 staff will be at Temple of Faith Deliverance Church of God in Christ to hear people’s needs and the barriers they face to getting jobs or bettering their educations.When: 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 14Where: Temple of Faith Deliverance Church, 2139 E. 27th St.
United Way’s 211 call center officials say the demand for help is becoming overwhelming, so they want to know what obstacles are keeping people from getting jobs and helping themselves.
“We’re trying to empower people to help themselves so ultimately we decrease social dependency,” said Eileen Rehberg, director of United Way’s 211 and Building Stable Lives. “This is a necessity because resources are diminishing.”
Many churches that provide food vouchers are finding their own congregations are going hungry. And federal funding for the agency’s emergency food and shelter program decreases every year, said Rehberg.
She said people call 211 asking for assistance with basic needs such as food, utilities and rent. The 211 officials want to expand services to help teach people how to budget and tell them about employment opportunities.