United Way urges support for 211 helpline after showing senior usage data

United Way of Lee County asked the Lee County Finance Committee to fund the local 211 helpline and presented call‑volume and demographic data from 2024. Ashley, a United Way representative, said Lee County recorded 304 callers to 211 in 2024; those callers identified 367 separate needs and received 567 referrals. She said the highest caller demographic was people 65 and older (29 percent), with an additional 13 percent in the 55–64 age bracket. United Way requested $3,000 in county support to cover the local portion of operating costs for the 211 service, which pays a 24/7 call center and maintains an updated resource database. The agency described the helpline as a centralized referral point: callers give their county and the call center routes them to locally appropriate resources. Why it matters: 211 provides an immediate, 24/7 connection to housing, food, employment and mental health resources; the data help United Way target outreach and local funding. Committee members asked about outreach and awareness; United Way said outreach includes rack cards, partner distribution, social media and meetings with local leaders but acknowledged more work is needed to increase public awareness. No county funding decision was made at the presentation; the committee thanked United Way and discussed outreach strategies to raise awareness of the 211 service in the community.