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United Way urges continued city support for 211 helpline after surge in demand
Summary
United Way of Greater Chattanooga told the council 211 handled tens of thousands of calls and distributed emergency aid, asking the city to sustain operating support so the nonprofit can maintain staffing, closed-loop referrals and stormwater-fee assistance.
Abby Garrison, representing United Way of Greater Chattanooga, told the council that the nonprofitruns the local 211 call center and urged continued city operating support after a sustained increase in demand. Garrison said the Chattanooga call center responded to over 57,000 calls last year, serves a 15-county footprint and that city residents are among the program's heaviest users.
Garrison described 211 as "civic infrastructure," not traditional charity, and said United Waypairs information-and-referral with privately raised emergency-assistance funds. "We were able to put out over $800,000 of just direct assistance to individuals who might need help paying a bill or getting…
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