Word of the Dial 211 referral service for information and services in the County is reaching more people. Call center manager, Alice Johnson says calls are increasing from people who are in need of basic services to live.*

Listen to Alice Johnson 1

For example, one woman was calling to find out where she and her 4 year old could stay tonight. calls for housing assistance have skyrocketed in the last year, and they often come with requests for food, clothing, and gas to get to work or school. Johnson says from her vantage point as 211 Nevada County’s call center manager, it is apparent that the need for housing considerably outweighs the available resources.

Listen to Alice Johnson 2

Johnson says its difficult to tell if they are getting more calls for help with basic needs because more people are struggling, or if it’s because more people are learning about dial 2-1-1 as a resource. Johnson says they have a lot of helpful information to give out.*

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Housing is a major need. Johnson says temporary shelters have been at capacity for months and affordable apartments are reporting lengthy wait lists.*

Listen to Alice Johnson 4

The blog can be viewed on the website 2-1-1 Nevada County dot org. or on the Dial 211 Nevada County Facebook page.