Local United Way offering 211 help number for people facing challenges from Coronavirus

ZANESVILLE – The non-profit has made the number available to people since 2004. The calls United Way receives the most are residents in need of food services. The virus hasn’t changed the importance of this need but has added to it.

“We’re still seeing a good majority of the calls coming in for COVID that are people needing help for food resources. That looks a little different right now because people need help with delivery or they can’t get to the food pantry, that kind of thing,” United Way’s Community Impact Director Becky Clawson said.

United Way has a system in place to deliver the goods to people who need them as efficiently as possible.

“They have a resource list. So, when you call in, if you need something kind of out of the ordinary like I need my medication delivered or I need my pantry or groceries delivered, they’ll put you on a list and those are dispatched to agencies who are quick to handle that or a volunteer,” Clawson said.

You can also text you zip code to 8-9-8-2-1-1 and you will receive text messages with referral information from United Way.