Yesterday, just as I was thinking about what types of stories may fall out of the sky around 2-1-1, I spoke to Terilee Dodge on the phone. I had just meet Terrilee on Tuesday at our big event co-sponsored with the Albany Police Department, which turned out to be highly successful because we engaged so many human service providers on the meaning and value of 2-1-1 right here in our local community. Terrilee is the Community Liaison for the Albany County Department of Children Youth and Family, and she had the perfect story for me - a story to illuminate the exact point that we tried to convey at the event on the 21st!
Terrilee related to me how she is the coordinator of the South End Partnership, a collaboration of human service agencies and religious organizations that serve the South End of Albany. She said that every so often they have a spontaneous street barbeque. One party brings 50 hotdogs, another provides 50 hamburgers, another provides 50 hamburger buns another brings 50 buns, another provides the grill and a last party brings chips and juice. They set up the grill on an agreed upon corner and start grilling. In the process, they serve up 50 hotdogs, 50 hamburgers, chips and juice boxes and talk with the community members that come out about any needs and services available, building relationships the whole time.
Terrilee told me that a little girl came up to her as she was at the grill and politely said, "umm excuse me, my mommy needs help paying the rent, can you help?" Terrilee was happy that she knew the right answer to give the little girl, having just come from our event with the APD that very day. She said, "Yes, I am going to give you a phone number so you can help your mommy, do you think you can remember it?" The little girl looked at her dubiously. Terrilee continued, "Well, I think you can remember, it, ready...?" The little girl, wide-eyed, listened to her. Terrilee said, "Tell your mommy to call 2-1-1, that's it, 2-1-1."
Over the course of the BBQ, Terrilee caught glimpses of the little girl several times and made sure to quiz her, "What is the number you are going to call?" And the little girl remembered each time, her smile growing.
As Terrilee tells me, in the "old" days before 2-1-1, this simple question from this girl would have caused all seven of the service providers from the South End Partnership, all standing there grilling and serving up hot dogs, into a full blown discussion, back and forth between each other, until after much deliberation, several seven digit numbers, names of people and agencies would have been handed over to the little girl on a peice of paper that may or may not made it back to her mom. And with so many factors unknown (is the family on the verge of eviction, has the mom lost her job, for how long, has she asked for help or not and how much income is coming into the household?) it would have been hard to provide the right referrals on the spot.
Terrilee relays that it was a big relief to be able to give this little girl a number even she could remember and know that 2-1-1 would be able to sort it all the unique circumstances of the situation on our end, providing referrals in possibly many need areas by the end of the call. Indeed we are happy to do so!
Thanks Terrilee for the illuminating example and I look forward to continued conversations with you and other colleagues in the human services community. :)
Terrilee related to me how she is the coordinator of the South End Partnership, a collaboration of human service agencies and religious organizations that serve the South End of Albany. She said that every so often they have a spontaneous street barbeque. One party brings 50 hotdogs, another provides 50 hamburgers, another provides 50 hamburger buns another brings 50 buns, another provides the grill and a last party brings chips and juice. They set up the grill on an agreed upon corner and start grilling. In the process, they serve up 50 hotdogs, 50 hamburgers, chips and juice boxes and talk with the community members that come out about any needs and services available, building relationships the whole time.
Terrilee told me that a little girl came up to her as she was at the grill and politely said, "umm excuse me, my mommy needs help paying the rent, can you help?" Terrilee was happy that she knew the right answer to give the little girl, having just come from our event with the APD that very day. She said, "Yes, I am going to give you a phone number so you can help your mommy, do you think you can remember it?" The little girl looked at her dubiously. Terrilee continued, "Well, I think you can remember, it, ready...?" The little girl, wide-eyed, listened to her. Terrilee said, "Tell your mommy to call 2-1-1, that's it, 2-1-1."
Over the course of the BBQ, Terrilee caught glimpses of the little girl several times and made sure to quiz her, "What is the number you are going to call?" And the little girl remembered each time, her smile growing.
As Terrilee tells me, in the "old" days before 2-1-1, this simple question from this girl would have caused all seven of the service providers from the South End Partnership, all standing there grilling and serving up hot dogs, into a full blown discussion, back and forth between each other, until after much deliberation, several seven digit numbers, names of people and agencies would have been handed over to the little girl on a peice of paper that may or may not made it back to her mom. And with so many factors unknown (is the family on the verge of eviction, has the mom lost her job, for how long, has she asked for help or not and how much income is coming into the household?) it would have been hard to provide the right referrals on the spot.
Terrilee relays that it was a big relief to be able to give this little girl a number even she could remember and know that 2-1-1 would be able to sort it all the unique circumstances of the situation on our end, providing referrals in possibly many need areas by the end of the call. Indeed we are happy to do so!
Thanks Terrilee for the illuminating example and I look forward to continued conversations with you and other colleagues in the human services community. :)
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