Celebrating 211 Day with IMPACT

Impact Partner Spotlight 

IMPACT

A person with round, tortoise-shell glasses, medium-dark skin and tight, curly blond hair wears a headset with an earpiece and microphone. They grin at the camera. Beside their face are the Impact logo, which says "Changing Lives. For Good," and the 211 logo, which says "Impact 2-1-1. Get connected. Get help."Feb. 11, 2021

Happy 211 day! IMPACT, the partner that leads 211 locally, helps people take the first step toward changing their life, for good. It assesses and guide those experiencing personal crisis toward resources to achieve stability, and it collaborates with community partners to foster system improvement. It does this through:
•    Comprehensive assessment of complex problems.
•    Expert navigation and connection to appropriate resources.
•    Collection, analysis and interpretation of data.
•    And implementation of research-based planning and process evaluation.

 

What first drew you into the work of IMPACT?

Initially, I was drawn to the mission of providing help and hope for individuals facing a personal crisis. I’ve been with IMPACT since 1985 when I served as a volunteer for The Underground Switchboard, which evolved into IMPACT 211. In 1997, I was hired as the volunteer coordinator and then promoted to director of IMPACT 211 in 2005. Since 2016, I’ve expanded my role with IMPACT as Senior Account Manager.

After years of serving in so many different capacities, I have gained experience and built relationships that position me to collaborate with United Ways and other funders, as well as social service providers, elected officials, community stakeholders, etc. to foster system change that benefits the entire community. 

How has IMPACT adapted over time—whether that's in the last year due to the pandemic, or since its start as an organization? 

In my time with IMPACT, we have continually adopted and adapted new technology as it became available to us. We were one of the first 211 systems in the United States to use text messaging to interact with our customers. We continue to use innovative internet and text-based solutions to provide access to information about resources in the community.

But the foundation of the work we do is by speaking directly with people in need of help.  And we do this with a wonderful team of caring, professional community resource specialists who are available 24/7/365 — no matter what.

Can you share a story about a moment you saw your work leave a positive impact in someone's life?

Ron was a 58-year-old mechanic. The physical requirements of his job had contributed to an overall deterioration of his health, so he had been without steady income for over a year.

Because he was an independent contractor, Ron did not qualify for unemployment compensation. He had applied for Social Security Disability, but he knew that it was a lengthy process to get approved. Meanwhile, Ron and his wife were struggling to pay their bills and were very concerned about losing their home.

At the time of Ron’s call to IMPACT 211, he and his wife had not eaten in over 24 hours, and he was — in his own words — “at the end of his rope.” Thankfully, our IMPACT 211 community resource specialist was able to assess the resources that could help Ron gain stability both in the long term and the short term. She referred him to a food pantry and several programs, including FoodShare, BadgerCare Plus health insurance, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program and a housing assistance program to avoid foreclosure. By the end of the call, Ron was relieved that he had a plan and, in a follow-up call the following week, he expressed gratitude for IMPACT 211’s compassionate assistance.

What is some of the impact IMPACT has brought to the community in its lifespan?

Alcohol and drug abuse. Housing instability. Financial insecurity. Health and mental health crises. There are many challenges in life that can be difficult to resolve on your own. Helping people through personal crisis is what we do 24 hours a day, every day of the year. In 2020, IMPACT 211 connected over 300,000 people with services that help maintain stability, restore health and enhance productivity.

Bob Waite is the senior account manager of IMPACT.