Topics Related to Social Services
When North Carolinians urgently needed help with housing and utility bills, food assistance, or medical resources during the pandemic, they turned to NC 211 at a record rate. United Way’s free, statewide helpline saw a 50% surge in 2020 for a total of 180,000 calls, and even more people sought help on the NC 211 website. While those numbers have since decreased, more people still continue to call NC 211 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
When most businesses closed at the onset of COVID-19, local YMCAs kept theirs doors open for the people who needed them most. Traditional membership programming was suspended, but in its place were blood drives, food drives, and even efforts to sew and provide personal protective equipment like masks. But perhaps most impactful was the emergency childcare they offered.