Vermont 2-1-1 Monthly Contact Statistics
A message from the Director, MaryEllen Mendl
Another very busy December has come to a close with contact specialists responding to
4,120 contacts.The onset of winter traditionally begins the busiest time of year for the 2-1-1 Contact Center, and December's contact volume certainly reflects, once again, the elevated level of need for assistance the winter season brings. The types of requests for information and referral represent the heightened day-to-day struggles that some Vermont families face each year during the cold weather months. The annual upward trend in requests for shelter from the cold and financial assistance for increased utility costs was in full swing as we closed out 2018. In fact, the number of requests for both f these categories realized an increase of fifteen percent over 2017.
Year-end totals show that Information and Referral Specialists provided
direct personal responses to 29,005 contacts in 2018. Specialists on average responded to 113 contacts per day and 3,423 contacts per month. In addition,
8,304 calls were received from Vermonters inquiring specifically about the State’s Emergency Housing Adverse Weather Conditions (formerly known as the Cold Weather Exception), periods when temperatures drop and the General Assistance Emergency Housing rules are relaxed in order to keep our most vulnerable warm and dry on the coldest Vermont winter nights. During those same twelve months, Vermont 2-1-1 received
17,932 visitors to our website. The grand total of
55,241 contacts for 2018 is certainly proof that Vermont 211 is a “go-to” statewide source of information and resources for Vermonters.
Referrals to public assistance programs
peaked to a calendar high in December. The majority (291 out of 318) of referrals in this sub-category were to
General Assistance, an income maintenance program administered and funded by the State of Vermont that provides basic financial assistance for individuals and families to meet their emergency basic needs.
In 2019, Vermont 2-1-1 will continue to fulfill its founding mission of connecting all people in Vermont to the agencies, organizations, services, and resources that provide the help they need. Our Information and Referral Specialists, trained to respond with compassion, are answering calls 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Vermont 2-1-1's database is also always available
on our website.
Read Vermont 2-1-1's monthly contact volume report here.
