News
Local Resource, 211info, Receives National Attention
Press Release, Portland Impact, 2/12/07
Portland man to advocate for service, alongside Senators Clinton and
Dole.
WASHINGTON, DC - At 9:30 AM (EST) on Tuesday February 13th,
Ian Finch, Portland resident and single father of five will stand beside US
Senator and Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Senator
Elizabeth Dole to advocate for the expansion of the 211 informational referral service
throughout the country. This expansion
will benefit Oregonians by providing information and referral to critical
services throughout the state.
Currently, 211 serves Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.
The
“Calling for 211 Act” introduced by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and
Elizabeth Dole (SB 211) will provide $150 million of funding for years one and
two and $100 million for years three through five. The bill has received strong
bipartisan support in the past. The
House Bill (HR 211) is co-sponsored by Oregon
representatives Blumenhauer, DeFazio, Hooley and Wu. 211 is recognized as both a solution for
access to health and human services information and as a crucial back up for
emergency response communication.
Portland resident Ian
Finch, a single father of five children and beneficiary of 211, will speak at
the press conference on the importance of expanding this service to reach more
people nationwide. Ian first learned about
211 when he faced eviction and needed assistance with his rent. Ian’s call to 211 connected him to local
social service provider Portland Impact who helped him find permanent housing,
utility assistance and enrolled him and some of his children in their early
childhood education program. After his
experience with 211 and Portland Impact, Ian obtained full time employment and
began advocating for low-income community members, in addition to recovering
from an addiction to Methamphetamines, exiting the criminal justice system and raising his children.
211info
operates the largest Information and Referral
Call Center
in the Northwest, taking 13,000 calls a month from Portland Metro Area residents
in search of community services. The
service helps people navigate a system of
over 4,000 different non-profits, public agencies and faith community
programs.
Ian
states, "I had a great experience with 211info. I was being evicted and
facing homelessness with my 5 children. I called 211 to see what resources
there were for me in my situation. They referred me to Portland Impact, where I
got in their transitional housing. I was very successful because of this as I
was able to go to school, and now I am working at The Center for Family
Success. My kids have also been really successful, because of the stability
that was provided. This all happened because I called 211 info. Without this
help, I don't know where my family and I would be today."
# # # #
|
