2-1-1 staff get the 4-1-1 on Salvation Army services
The United Way’s 2-1-1 hotline is the go-to phone number for anybody in need of referral services for anything related to health and human services, anywhere in North America. Need food? Call 2-1-1. Housing? Call 2-1-1. Disaster relief, health information or utility assistance? Call … you get the idea.
In the Twin Cities alone, 2-1-1 phone personnel – called Information and Referral Specialists – use a database of more than 40,000 services.
The Twin Cities Salvation Army is one of the main service providers to which callers are referred.
“I get an average of 60 to 70 calls per day – five to 10 of those go to Salvation Army agencies,” said Chee Vang (pictured at top, right), a veteran 2-1-1 referral specialist of 15 years.
For that reason, Vang and several of her coworkers have been touring various Salvation Army facilities. They figure that by getting a firsthand look at what The Salvation Army offers, they can serve their callers more effectively.
On Wednesday, Vang and coworker Alyssa Kriesel (pictured at top, middle) toured all six floors of our Harbor Light Shelter in Minneapolis, the state’s largest homeless outreach facility (pictured).
“It’s like putting a face to a name,” Kriesel said, adding that she had always wondered what Harbor Light was like inside, having referred countless callers there.
During the tour, she and Vang strolled through Harbor Light’s bunkhouse emergency shelter, which houses 130 men every night. Among other useful tidbits of information, Kriesel and Vang learned that each bunkhouse bed includes a locker, and free sandwiches are served in the bunkhouse all night long courtesy of an incredible man named Allan Law.
Vang and Kriesel also learned much about Harbor Light on the whole. Some of their biggest takeaways:
- Hennepin County Medical Center operates a free medical clinic inside.
- An on-site paramedic is on duty five days a week, from 2 p.m.–1 a.m.
- A free clinic offering acupuncture and chiropractic services (pictured below) is available to all.
Additional 2-1-1 staff members are scheduled to visit Harbor Light later this month. In June, others will tour several of the Twin Cities Salvation Army’s eight metro area food shelves.
2-1-1 is available for help 24/7. Its Twin Cities team includes eight to 10 operators available every day from 6 a.m.–10 p.m. Afterhours, several 2-1-1 operators answer calls remotely.
In 15 years, Vang’s phone line has never been silent for more than five minutes.
“It’s a stressful job,” she said. “But in the end, it’s a comfort knowing we’ve helped these people, gave them information they didn’t know about.”
The Salvation Army is thrilled to give 2-1-1 staff members information they did not know about.
“The more they understand about The Salvation Army, the more likely they will be to refer people to us,” said Major Jeff Strickler, Twin Cities Salvation Army commander. “The more people they refer, the more people we can help. We thank and admire United Way and 2-1-1 for the valuable services they offer.”