News coverage attracts record number of foreclosure assistance calls

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Yesterday, a record 52 people called 211 and 1-800-SafeNet (both lines are answered by 211info) looking for referrals to foreclosure assistance because of recent news coverage – in particular coverage by The Oregonian. To put that in perspective – our monthly average is usually around 130 calls for foreclosure assistance.

As Eric Mortenson wrote in The Oregonian

The good news and bad news are one and the same: Oregon is one of five states that will share in a $600 million federal program aimed at helping regions hardest hit by unemployment, home foreclosures and upside-down mortgages.

“It’s a dubious honor, because you had to be suffering to be eligible,” said Lisa Joyce, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services.

The agency will distribute the $88 million awarded to Oregon under an aid program expansion announced Monday by the Obama administration to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The details of who will get help under the program, and even how they will apply, have not been worked out, Joyce said. She warned that families thinking the program will “save the day” should realize that money probably will not flow for several months. She encouraged them to seek help through existing channels, starting with a call to the state’s social service help line, 1-800-SAFENET.

Oregon residents can call 1-800-SafeNet for access to referrals to free or low-cost, HUD certified counselors.

Although yesterday’s call volume was unusually high, 211info has seen upward trends in foreclosure related calls since last year. In 2008, we received 267 such calls. In 2009 – we received 1,355. However beyond the number is the human element.

“Late last year, someone called SafeNet about a foreclosure letter. His loan modification was denied. He was in Forbearance, but he didn’t understand any of it and missed the payment or what he was supposed to do,” recounted a 211info call center specialist. “I went on DFCS (Division of Family and Children Services) and found a HOPE event in Medford, plus a financial counseling service.”

Beyond the fear of losing a home, foreclosure effects every aspect of a family’s life. Another call center specialist recorded her conversation with a caller:

I spoke with a man — a father in a large family. He was a contractor who was still working but the economic downturn had reduced income. His wife was at home due to recent surgery. He indicated that his family has a big health insurance premium and their 16 yr old son had a rare form of tumor removed, leading to additional bills. He was also uninsured and required surgery soon for hernia repair. He stated that they were just one day late on their mortgage payment and he believed that if they could get a reduction on their interest rate/payment they would be able to keep their home. I told him about an upcoming foreclosure workshop to get basic information. I also mentioned that his family might qualify for food stamps and gave him information about a community basket program in his area. Although, he clearly had a steep mountain to climb, hopefully I was able to get him some help.

As of 4:00 pm, today has seen the third highest call volume for people looking for foreclosure assistance.

31.03.2010 Community Data No Comments

Senior volunteer opportunities empower agencies and volunteers

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

As I have mentioned before, we began a volunteer program last summer and it has added a new dimension to our organization. Many of our volunteers come from a great program – Seniors Make Sense – which utilize senior volunteers.

Overall, 211info has 26 volunteers, ranging from ages 19 to 65. We estimate their volunteer hours cost value has been worth almost $75,000 dollars.

I asked one of our volunteers from Seniors Make Sense, Liam See, to write about his experience at 211info. You may recognize Liam from an earlier post about the toll diabetes took on his family. If you would like to know more about Seniors Make Sense you can call 503-232-7684.

My Experience At 211info

By Liam See

I am the first of several interns placed here through SMS (Seniors Make Sense, Title V, in our own database).

Liam See, 211info Volunteer from Seniors Make Sense

At the onset of the Fall season, my beginnings took place in the Resource Department. Learning how to navigate a database was something new and wonderful. In addition to this, I am a recent migrant from the East coast, to the beautiful Pacific northwest. My two year anniversary of arrival here will be celebrated in the merry month of May.

The opportunity to learn about an abundance of social service organizations existing in the state of Oregon and nearby Washington state is a genuine booster shot for this newcomer. In my previous life work experiences, I have been a social worker, teacher and community oriented parish minister with extensive work in establishing twelve step programs. My background and passion is for identifying and meeting people’s personal needs.

This period of working with 211 is an invaluable introduction to this world of nonprofits that is oriented to doing outreach for those without the resources needed for their daily basic needs. Direct contact by phone with various agency representatives is strengthening my knowledge base of how these people may be reached, who are in turn, enabled to be their own best human resource. Updating our database empowers our call center staff to refer clearly on a day in and day out basis. And I know I am being supportive as well as learning about more avenues to assist a growing population.

30.03.2010 Volunteers No Comments

Building a community with increased access to information

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Here at 211info we are obsessed with getting people access to information that makes their lives better and more enriched. I hope this blog can be one of the center points of that effort. But we can’t do it alone…

We are asking for a little donation. A donation of words, thoughts and information.

Please subscribe to our blog. Along with pulling this blog into your RSS feed you can get posts emailed to you the second they go up.

In addition, we highly encourage your comments, suggestions and guest blog posts. Email me (matt@211info.org) for more information.

Thanks for helping us build an Oregon that has free and easy access to information.

-Matt

25.03.2010 Uncategorized No Comments

Grant will help connect thousands of Oregonians to services, including health care

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

PRESS RELEASE
March 23, 2010

Contact
Liesl Wendt, CEO
liesl@211info.org, 503-416-2619

Matt Kinshella, External Relations Coordinator
matt@211info.org, 503-416-2619

Grant will help connect thousands of Oregonians to services, including health care

Portland, OR – An $85,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust to 211info is laying the groundwork for a system that freely and efficiently connects people to essential services, such as health care and shelter, across Oregon.

The grant funds 211info’s efforts to bring 2-1-1, the FCC designated phone number for referrals to health and community services, to every Oregon county by 2013. Efforts are currently underway to bring several Oregon counties – including Lane and Jackson – service this year. 211info is conducting additional outreach this April and May to identify interest in 2-1-1 services among unserved Oregon counties.

“The country is abuzz about health care reform – yet the reality is far too many Oregonians aren’t aware of the services available to them or they reach out and get lost in a system that is fragmented and confusing,” states 211info CEO Liesl Wendt. “2-1-1 helps cut through this clutter and the Meyer Memorial Trust recognizes every Oregonian deserves the service.”

At the March program meeting Meyer Memorial Trust trustees awarded 16 grants for approximately $1.5 million. These awards bring the total since MMT began operating in April 1982 to 6,084 awards for $496.9 million. 211info is also building on momentum provided by an Oregon Community Foundation grant for statewide 2-1-1 expansion earlier in the year.

Currently, 2-1-1 service exists in seven Oregon counties in the Portland metro area, Yamhill and Central Oregon (Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook) – covering nearly half of Oregon’s population. Last year, the organization was contacted more than 260,000 times online and through the phones for referrals to both basic services, such as utility assistance, and services unique to the economic collapse, such as foreclosure assistance. Nationwide, 28 states have statewide 2-1-1 coverage and overall 2-1-1 coverage extends to more than 80% of Americans.

211info is also a recent nominee for the Multnomah County Public Health Hero award.

24.03.2010 211info grants No Comments

Are you at risk for diabetes?

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Today is the American Diabetes Association’s Alert Day. One in five Americans is at risk for Type 2 diabetes and nearly 6 million have diabetes and don’t know it. Take the diabetes risk test right now and ask your friends and family to do the same.

(Note to readers: Stop Diabetes is a branded trademark of the American Diabetes Association. The Stop Diabetes site was initiated last November as a forum for sharing stories, photos, videos about people living with diabetes. To learn more visit www.stopdiabetes.com and www.diabetes.org .)

Sadly, in the the U.S. almost all of us know someone with diabetes. For me, that person is my father. He is a Type 1 diabetic and one with a miraculous story.

In the 70s he was home in San Diego for a break from UC Davis – where he attended school. He was feeling lethargic, always thirsty, and was urinating a lot. He went to see his general practitioner to find out what was wrong. The GP ran some tests but at that time diabetes wasn’t as well know as it is today. No red flags popped up.

My dad spent the rest of break feeling ill, but just figured it was the flu or something. He went back up to Davis – but my grandma was concerned. A few days passed and my grandma called my dad in his dorm room. There was no answer. She called and called but no one picked up. Something didn’t feel right to her so on a mother’s intuition she boarded the first flight to Davis. She landed, went straight to my dad’s dorm and opened the door to find him lying on the ground passed out.

He was in a diabetic coma.

Luckily, she found him in time and he was treated and diagnosed. However, if it weren’t for some amazing mother’s intuition and a whole lot of luck I certainly wouldn’t be here today.

I shared this with the 211info staff and asked if they had anything they wanted to share. Liam See, one of our volunteers, wanted to share his story as well:

My Dad was diagnosed with diabetes while I was in college. Because he was not emotionally equipped to deal with the consequences of this news, he did not change any of his habits: work, eating and any exercise.

Although he could have controlled his diabetic condition with oral medications only, with significant dietary modifications, he made his choice by not including any options of a differing work style. Dad eventually succumbed to a largely sedentary life style (along with a depression that was not diagnosed).

My younger brother, who was living at home at that time, discovered Dad slumped over the breakfast table, on one subsequent morning.

Several additional years of potential living were surrendered by my Dad primarily because of an inability to cope with and learn a new way of living on for a much longer period. Denial along with depression and, I suspect anger eating away beneath the surface of daily routines, shortened his life span.

Early diagnosis and subsequent appropriate alternative ways of dealing with this new turn in one’s life constellation can produce an entirely possible and more fulfilling outcome.

Do you have any stories about how diabetes has impacted your life?

23.03.2010 Health Informations No Comments

A bridge over troubled waters is only useful if you can find the bridge

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Recently, a guest column, “Unemployment benefits: A welcome bridge over troubled waters,” penned by Portland resident Alan Moore appeared on BlueOregon.com. It outlined the programs available to people who are unemployed in Oregon. These programs, as Mr. Moore smartly pointed out, aren’t enough for the recently unemployed to kick their feet up and have a beer, but do fill some necessary holes while one is looking for work. Unfortunately, though, many unemployed Oregonians aren’t aware of the services available to them or they reach out they get lost in a system that is fragmented and confusing.

Take a recent 2-1-1 caller who was facing foreclosure – a Portland woman who was in dire financial stress because she has already given money to a scam artist who had promised her a way out. A few up-front monthly payments later and she was in a $3,000 hole with no solutions. Eventually, she learned about 2-1-1 and one of our call center specialists was able to refer her to free foreclosure counseling, but it is devastating to think this could have all been avoided.

Or how about a woman who called and very timidly asked about WIC, which her family qualified for? She and her husband had both lost their jobs in the previous four months. In addition to WIC, we asked if she had looked into SNAP (food stamps) – since people who qualify for one usually qualify for the other. She hesitated. She and her husband had a 401(k), and she thought they would have to cash out and exhaust the 401(k) before they could collect food stamps.

It’s not uncommon for people new to social services to have misconceptions that keep them from applying for what is perhaps the most accessible of all the basic forms of assistance. Gladly, we were able to give her this vital information.

Last month, more than half of our callers had recently lost their job or had a reduction in hours. The recession is not over by a long shot. More people need to know about the services available to them, because as Mr. Moore stated: “These programs help the entire state by keeping families participating in the Oregon economy.”

Best of luck to Mr. Moore, and the thousands of unemployed Oregonians, our thoughts are surely with you. The good news is there are people out there who can help. We just have to make sure these two groups get connected as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

18.03.2010 community resources No Comments

Those living on the edge need your help

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Guest Post By Carolee Lee, VP Marketing and Communications, United Way Columbia-Willamette

Gloria knows about tough times. She thought she was doing everything right. She had a good job, nice apartment, and food on the table. Unfortunately, her life changed dramatically when she lost her job. The bills mounted up and she couldn’t pay the rent, was facing eviction, and struggling to feed her two young kids.

There are thousands of families like Gloria’s who are living on the edge. Just like 2-1-1, we get calls everyday at United Way from people who are desperate. These calls represent thousands of families in our community who need short-term financial help for basics like food, rent, and utilities. The news is grim but there is something you can do. GIVE $10 to the Community Relief Fund and tell 10 friends to do the same. The Community Relief Fund is an alliance that includes United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, Oregon Food Bank and Community Action Programs in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Clark counties.

Since the program started last April, $1.1 million has been distributed which has helped 39,243 people (11,856 households). Gloria’s was one of those families that got help until she could find another job. In total, about 683 households (2,312 people) avoided eviction because they received rent or mortgage assistance. About 247 families (767 people) kept the lights on because they got help paying their utility bills. More than 400,000 pounds of food has been distributed.

If you can, give. Imagine the possibilities if we just care about each other and work together. Check out www.give10tell10.org today.

15.03.2010 community resources No Comments

211 Gets National and Local TV Coverage as Need Rises

Friday, March 5th, 2010

We recently analyzed our caller statistics from last month and nearly 60% of callers were newly unemployed or had a reduction in wages, while more than 50% of callers had never used our services before. As need in our community continues to rise, our services are more crucial than ever. So, we were thrilled to learn 211’s national and local profile would get a big boost.

The United Way 211 call center is South Bend Indiana will be profiled on the CBS Evening News tonight. Tune at 6:30 pm to watch the feature piece by Seth Doane! NOTE: Since this was posted we received word the story will not air at the aforementioned time, but will air in the near future.

Meanwhile, check out the video below. KOIN Local 6, the Portland area CBS affiliate, ran a story featuring 211info on Wednesday!

The timing couldn’t have been better.

05.03.2010 About 211info, Community Data No Comments

Foreclosure Scams Are Ruinous and Can Be Avoided

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

By Timothy Kelly, Call Center Specialist

Foreclosure calls have skyrocketed in the last year

A record number of people struggling with mortgage payments or facing foreclosure are falling prey to scams. According to a report released by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in February, nearly 8,000 complaints were filed against companies that were offering services for loan modification or foreclosure assistance in 2009. Only one such complaint was filed in 2008.

At 211info we’ve been working with local government and community partners referring homeowners to agencies that are certified by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for free foreclosure-prevention counseling. Some callers who have heard about the scams are suspicious of anyone offering help with loan modification.

As a call center specialist who specializes in foreclosure calls I hear, firsthand, how many people are exposed to these

scams. The other day I received a call from a man in Bend who had been solicited by someone who was offering to save his home for a little money up front. Thankfully, this individual trusted his instincts and gave 2-1-1 call to see if the solicitation was legitimate. It wasn’t and I was able to provide contact information for a local HUD-certified counseling agency.

Others, unfortunately, have already fallen victim. I spoke with a Portland woman who was in dire financial stress because she has already given money to a scammer who had promised her a way out. A few up-front monthly payments later and she was in a $3,000 hole with no solutions. Eventually,she learned about free foreclosure counseling and I was able to refer her to someone, but it is devastating to think this could have all been avoided.

The scams are often advertised as offers to rescue homeowners from foreclosure. Some companies use public records to contact people whose homes are approaching foreclosure, then call or send letters offering assistance. Some companies take a fee and then disappear; others convince homeowners to make payments directly to them while they claim they are negotiating with the lender.

These scams not only rob struggling families of what little money they have left, but also make it more difficult for nonprofit agencies that actually want to provide free assistance for loan modification and foreclosure prevention. People simply don’t know whom to trust.

The Federal Reserve Board offers tips for consumers for avoiding these scams on their website.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/foreclosurescamtips/default.htm

For referrals to foreclosure prevention counseling call 211info at 211 or 1-800-SAFENET

03.03.2010 community resources 3 Comments

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