Social services hotline sees spike in calls

Last year, when people were losing their homes, jobs, or both, and needed to find help, many of them called 2-1-1.  It’s a free 24-hour hotline, where operators refer callers to social service agencies in their region.

 The hotline saw a 39 percent increase in call volume last year in the Bay Area, and calls for basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter, rose by more than half. This increase in call volume is stretching the hotline staff to the max, and some are having to cut calls short. At 2-1-1 in Alameda County, nearly 83,000 calls for help were answered last year -- that’s nearly 10 an hour.

Ollie Arnold is with Eden Information and Resources, the agency that runs the 2-1-1 service for Alameda.  She spoke with Kristi Coale about the hotline.

Note: The 2-1-1 line is currently offering help with taxes. You can find out more at the 211 website.