The City of Cleveland’s Department of Aging’s Economic Security Project helps older adults find their way back to financial stability. When I worked at City of Cleveland’s Department of Aging in the 2010s, our goal was always to address the immediate crisis, stabilize the individual, and help them in addressing the financial challenge that led to the crisis. This support often came from with United Way of Greater Cleveland’s 211 helpline.
Far too often I would field a call from a Cleveland senior enrolled in the Economic Security Project who had a utility shut off, no food in the house, or inability to pay for their medications. Our goal was always to address the immediate crisis, stabilize the individual, and help them in addressing the financial challenge that led to the crisis.
Quite often, a call to 211 is the first step in our plan of action and is still the ideal tool for finding solutions to basic needs when in immediate crisis.
While 211 is often associated with emergency needs, its role extends far beyond crisis response. For many residents, 211 serves as a front door to opportunity, connecting individuals and families to job training, tax assistance, financial coaching, credit counseling, and pathways to homeownership. These supports help people not only stabilize in moments of hardship but also maintain momentum along their economic journey. By meeting people where they are and guiding them toward what comes next, 211 supports both immediate relief and long-term economic mobility.
While many people turn to 211 during moments of crisis, 211 also plays a quieter but equally important role: helping residents move forward once the immediate emergency has passed.
In a fragmented system, United Way 211 remains one of the few places where people can start with a single call and be guided—by a real person—through what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming maze.
Humans offer the support; data offers ways to improve it
Last year, I was invited to serve on the 211 Advisory Board to help guide the staff on strategy and operations. Being a part of the advisory board has reaffirmed my belief in the value of a local resource that connects to a live human being.
As our world moves towards automated services, the importance of a caring voice when dealing with a personal crisis cannot be overstated. Hearing that someone cares and that you are not alone can move an individual from an elevated stress response to a more manageable level unlikely for a web search or AI chat to achieve. 211 meets people where they are, regardless of income, digital access, language, or ability to navigate complex systems.
By working directly with individuals to find solutions, 211 plays a vital role in strengthening community well-being.
Through the data they collect and share from individual experiences, 211 provides a glimpse into the wider needs of the communities they serve.
The 211 OH Trends Dashboard provides real-time data showing the most common reasons residents seek help, which has become an invaluable tool for policymakers, advocates, service providers, and researchers committed to addressing poverty and promoting stability.
The past year of data paints a vivid picture of the challenges facing families across the region.
Navigating multiple layers of economic strain
According to statewide 211 data, the top reasons individuals reached out for support include housing, utility assistance, food needs, and behavioral health supports which all foundational elements for stability. These categories are not only the most common they are also deeply interconnected. A family struggling with rent is more likely to fall behind on utilities. A household facing a shutoff may simultaneously be choosing between heating and groceries.
The stress of being unable to meet the basic needs can lead to or intensify behavioral health issues. The breadth of these top categories reveals just how many households are navigating multiple layers of economic strain at once.
Why 211 data matters for policy and Community Solutions
For local advocacy organizations, government, funders, and community-based service providers, 211 data serves as a powerful real-time indicator of community well-being with three key roles data can play in decision-making among community leaders.
- The data can identify gaps in existing systems
- Data showing increased volume can highlight early warning signs for emerging areas of need
- Data patterns can reveal where coordination is needed
United Way 211 serves as a lifeline for residents and a lens through which we understand the challenges facing our region. The top need categories reflect systemic issues that require sustained attention: affordable housing, access to food, utility affordability, and behavioral health supports.
By continuing to invest in 211 and using its data to guide our decisions, Greater Cleveland can move closer to a community where every resident has access to the essentials they need to live safely and securely.
