United Way receives $1 million grant to expand 211 call center

VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A call center dedicated to connecting people in need with available services is getting more space thanks to a major state grant.

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie joined Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo at the United Way of Broome County in Vestal this morning to announce a $1 million grant. The money will cover the cost of putting an addition onto the United Way building to house an expanded 211 center.

The 211 Susquehanna River Region Community Resource Center offers referrals to callers seeking help with food insecurity, homelessness, rental and heat assistance and other social service needs.

Heastie, who is on his annual statewide tour, says Lupardo lobbied him for the much-needed expansion.

“This is your money, this is taxpayer money, and I couldn’t think of anything better to spend taxpayer money on than expanding a system, or actually giving adequate spacing to a system that will end up saving and preserving people’s lives,” said Heastie.

The 211 call center serves five counties in our region: Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware and Otsego.

Last year, it handled 55,000 phone calls looking for help.

It currently has a staff of 7, with plans to add an 8th, crammed into a window-less room.

United Way Executive Director Paula Perna says her dedicated staff needs a better work environment for their challenging job.

“Our 211 specialists are a team of compassionate, highly trained community specialists who are often dealing with a wide range of issues from basic needs to complex problems such as mental health issues. It requires someone who has the ability to handle high stress situations with empathy and efficiency. The emotional toll can be significant,” said Perna.

Heastie had originally planned to announce a state grant of $750,000 to cover just the expansion, but later decided to increase it to $1 million after Perna explained that the building has other infrastructure needs such as a leaky roof and outdated bathrooms.

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