Food and Utility Assistance Top 211 Call Report for over a Year

Food and utility assistance have dominated the United Way’s 211 call report for over a year and now the organization is working with leaders in the community to serve more than just the immediate need.

Executive Director Meg Deedrick said the need for food has been the number one demand in Muskingum, Morgan, and Perry counties for more than 12 months and as summer approaches families struggling with food insecurity will combat the loss of two meals children usually eat at school.

The United Way is now working on a plan to get food from the farm to the table on a regular basis to solve the long term need.

"We want to convene a group of people with partners like the City of Zanesville, Foodworks Alliance, the County Health Department, and say ‘okay how can we connect people who have an interest in getting healthy locally grown food on local household tables with the people that are actually producing the food,’? said Deedrick. "So we’re bringing that network together so that we can get to know each other, so that we can better define that network and see how can we help."

Many calling 211 are in need of financial assistance to pay for utilities as well.

Deedrick said it’s time to start helping families become financially independent and give them tools to prepare for budgetary emergencies in the future.

"We’re not just looking at meeting that, helping them pay this one bill, but also how can we help them scale build so that when they have a big bill in the future, they can handle it," said Deedrick.

While the focus is on long term help.. 211 is always available to help with your immediate need for food and utility assistance as well as referrals for shelter, transportation, health, and more.