United Way asks county to restore funding for 2‑1‑1 referral line after sheriff’s office pullback

Dale (identified in the meeting as president and CEO, United Way of the Lowcountry) told the committee April 7 that the United Way operates the 2‑1‑1 referral system in the Lowcountry and asked Beaufort County to restore annual support of $10,626 after the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department’s funding was withdrawn.

Service description: Dale said 2‑1‑1 offers round‑the‑clock referral services (phone, web at sc211.org and text 211211) that help residents locate rent, child‑care, food and disaster resources; the service continued to operate in disasters and, during Hurricane Helen, 17,000 people were helped through the statewide 2‑1‑1 network.

Request details and timing: United Way asked for $10,626 in annual funding, noting the county previously supported the line since about 2008 and the Sheriff’s Department funded it most recently until the funding was pulled in October. United Way said it does not have budget capacity to absorb the ongoing cost and asked the committee to consider restoring support as part of the county budget process; county staff said the request will be considered during budget work sessions and, if approved, funding would begin in July with the next fiscal year.

Why it matters: United Way said 34% of Beaufort County households rely on some form of assistance and that 2‑1‑1 is a critical navigation tool for those residents and for disaster response.

Ending: Committee members acknowledged the service’s importance and the chair noted county budget timing; staff signaled the request would be considered in upcoming budget deliberations.