From March 12-25 last year (2019), the 2-1-1 helpline in Maryland received 4 requests from sick or disables seniors looking for help getting home delivered meals. Over the same dates this year, 453 requests. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable populations is profound, and is being captured every day by 2-1-1s across the […]
One week ago, we published the first two Focus-19 reports on rising rates of food needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. One week later, the needs are even more profound. We’ve added more states – 23 now – and another 7 days of food requests to 2-1-1 helplines across the U.S. The chart below compares the […]
Requests to 2-1-1 for diapers and toilet paper have increased up to 20-fold in some states since the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income families seldom have the luxury of buying large quantities of toilet paper in bulk to last months and months. Instead they buy small quantities more frequently. When local stores run out, many families have […]
The pattern is unmistakable. Across the U.S., requests to 2-1-1 from Americans seeking help getting food and paying rent rose sharply and instantly in the days following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analyses examined 21 cities and states over the first 11 weeks of 2020. For each week, we charted the total number […]
In most states, about 1 out of every 10 calls to 2-1-1 helplines is from someone seeking help with their monthly rent payment. It is one of the most frequent requests, and in many states the most frequent request. In a single year, 2019, five states alone – MD, MO, NC, NY, PA – accounted […]
In a typical week, 2-1-1s get hundreds of requests from people looking for a food pantry to help feed their families. In Wisconsin, 2-1-1 receives over 500 such requests a week, Maryland and Pennsylvania get 200 requests a week, and Alabama, Missouri and Nevada get over 100 weekly requests. We examined food pantry requests from […]
Low-income Americans whose health, age or disability makes it difficult to prepare their own meals or travel to places that serve meals are sometimes eligible for home-delivered meals. Meals-on-Wheels is a well-known example of a home-delivered meal program. Some people call 2-1-1 to get help getting connecting to home-delivered meal programs. Because of the highly […]