In June, 211 United Way of Greater Kansas City Community Resource Navigators supported many community members as the region experienced extreme heat. In one of the hottest weeks during the month, 211 responded to 398 referrals for electric payment assistance, made four referrals to cooling centers, 12 referrals for fans, and 11 referrals for air conditioners.
This month’s 211 highlighted calls include some of the most basic needs community members call to seek assistance with.
A mother in Kansas City, Mo., working full-time to take care of her elementary school aged son, called 211 concerned about being behind on mortgage payments. Even with full-time employment, her income cannot cover all of her bills. She often has to make decisions between paying her utilities and her mortgage. Last month, she had to prioritize her electric bill to keep the lights on. With a mortgage payment due, she didn’t know where else to turn so she called 211 and reached a caring Community Resource Navigator. The navigator personally understood the challenges she was facing and researched our comprehensive database for available services in her area, providing the young mother with referrals to a couple of programs that may be able to assist with her late mortgage payments. She left the call equipped with what she needed to connect with—the right agencies and a sense of hope that 211 is available whenever she needs it.
In 2024, more than 19,300 referrals were made for housing stabilization: rent and mortgage assistance. This represented 17-percent of all contacts received through 211 last year.
A Kansas City, Mo. healthcare worker called 211 because they had a patient being discharged who had no transportation home. The hospital was unable to assist the patient with a ride and the individual did not have a family member or friend who could help. The patient also did not have funds to cover the cost of a taxi or ride service. The navigator searched through the comprehensive database and found the Ride United transportation program was the best match for immediate assistance. The 211 navigator was able to schedule a Lyft ride for the patient and get them home safely so they could recover in the comfort of their home.
Over the past year, more than 3300 rides have been provided through Untied Way’s Ride United program.
A Spanish speaking Kansas City, Mo. resident contacted 211 after being released from state custody. While the individual was away, all their personal documents and identification had been lost or destroyed. In order to find new employment and take next steps, they needed new IDs. The individual had spoken with the State of Missouri, which had told the caller that their state ID was still valid and they could go to the nearest office to get a new copy. Concerned about driving without a license, the individual called 211 to ask if there was transportation available to get to the DMV. The bilingual navigator searched the 211 database and found a match through the Ride United program. A round-trip ride was scheduled that day.
Additionally, the 211 Community Resource Navigator asked the caller what other services may be needed. The caller was also in need of rent assistance and three additional referrals for programs providing rental help were provided as well. The individual closed the call feeling very grateful for the help and for 211 having the ability to work with them in their language.
211 provides interpretation services in more than 150 languages. In 2024, nearly 900 callers were provided Spanish language assistance. Other top languages provided translation assistance included Bosnian, Vietnamese and Arabic.