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Local Resource, 211 Info, Receives National Attention
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scott Shlaes, Director of Development
Portland Impact
Cell Phone: (503) 317-5205
E-mail: sshlaes@portlandimpact.org
2.12.07
Local Resource, 211 Info, Receives National Attention
Portland man to advocate for service, alongside Senators Clinton and Dole.
WASHINGTON, DC - At 9:30 AM (EST) on Tuesday February 13th, Ian Finch, Portland resident and single father of five will stand beside US Senator and Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Senator Elizabeth Dole to advocate for the expansion of the 211 informational referral service throughout the country. This expansion will benefit Oregonians by providing information and referral to critical services throughout the state. Currently, 211 serves Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.
The “Calling for 211 Act” introduced by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Elizabeth Dole (SB 211) will provide $150 million of funding for years one and two and $100 million for years three through five. The bill has received strong bipartisan support in the past. The House Bill (HR 211) is co-sponsored by Oregon representatives Blumenhauer, DeFazio, Hooley and Wu. 211 is recognized as both a solution for access to health and human services information and as a crucial back up for emergency response communication.
Portland resident Ian Finch, a single father of five children and beneficiary of 211, will speak at the press conference on the importance of expanding this service to reach more people nationwide. Ian first learned about 211 when he faced eviction and needed assistance with his rent. Ian’s call to 211 connected him to local social service provider Portland Impact who helped him find permanent housing, utility assistance and enrolled him and some of his children in their early childhood education program. After his experience with 211 and Portland Impact, Ian obtained full time employment and began advocating for low-income community members, in addition to recovering from an addiction to Methamphetamines, exiting the criminal justice system and raising his children.
211info operates the largest Information and Referral Call Center in the Northwest, taking 13,000 calls a month from Portland Metro Area residents in search of community services. The service helps people navigate a system of over 4,000 different non-profits, public agencies and faith community programs.
Ian states, “I had a great experience with 211info. I was being evicted and facing homelessness with my 5 children. I called 211 to see what resources there were for me in my situation. They referred me to Portland Impact, where I got in their transitional housing. I was very successful because of this as I was able to go to school, and now I am working at The Center for Family Success. My kids have also been really successful, because of the stability that was provided. This all happened because I called 211 info. Without this help, I don’t know where my family and I would be today.”
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On the Internet:
http://www.unitedway-pdx.org/yourCommunity/successStories1.htm