Wanda has been a Metro Denver resident for over 50 years, and lives modestly on a fixed income in Aurora. Her granddaughter, Amanda, a thirty year old mother of three, has experienced homelessness for almost ten years, and rarely sees her children. When Wanda agreed to care for her granddaughter, she didn’t know how she’d be able to feed or clothe her.
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With a single call to 2-1-1, Wanda uncovered a myriad of options to help her granddaughter transform her life. The 2-1-1 referral specialist was able to match Wanda and Amanda with multiple Mile High United Way Impact Partners including Friends of Saint Andrew, Metro Caring and Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’ Stout Street Health Center.
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Due to this drastic new change in Amanda’s lifestyle, she is now on the road to recovery. “I was referred to places close to my neighborhood, and I’m surprised by the amount of resources we had right in our own backyard that I couldn’t locate on my own.”
MEET WANDA
MEET STEPHANIE
MEET SHANELL
MEET A FAMILY IN CRISIS
Candace, a local Denver resident, felt helpless as bills continued to mount and income became more and more limited. Hearing of her family’s troubles, it was Candace’s aunt who suggested she call the Mile High United Way's 2-1-1 Help Center.
Although reluctant at first, all hesitation was quickly erased once she was on the phone with a 2-1-1 referral specialist, who was able to suggest multiple food banks close to her home. Through 2-1-1 and its community partner agencies, Candace was able to attain food from local churches, including First Church of the Nazarene, and provide meals for her family.
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“I found 2-1-1 to be helpful because I didn’t have to search through a phone book or the internet for places I’ve never heard of. 2-1-1 is able to give more direct answers and I know the services are reputable,” Candace recalled.
MEET AUBREY
Stephanie, a single mother of three, knows that the Mile High United Way 2-1-1 Help Center will be there when she needs a helping hand.
She made her first call to 2-1-1 in 2006 when she needed childcare that allowed her to work outside of the home. Since then, she has been self-sufficient. But when Stephanie was unexpectedly laid off from her job, her finances became strained as she struggled to regain employment.
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Stephanie decided to take action by calling Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Help Center. She was quickly connected to local services to help her gain the resources she needed. Through 2-1-1, Stephanie was connected to A Precious Child, where she received new clothing for her children, and Catholic Charities, which helped provide rental assistance to keep her family safe and off the streets. “I’ve always known about 2-1-1, and I’ve always relied on them when I needed help,” she said.
When a mother and her children became homeless and needed a place to turn, they called the 2-1-1 Help Center. The family was living in a weekly-rate motel while the children attended Mile High United Way partner Mile High Montessori during the day. When her husband was deported their situation became even more complicated.
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When Mile High Montessori Family and Community Advocate learned of the family’s situation, she began with their immediate crisis: homelessness. For families facing legal status obstacles, affordable housing options are more limited, and the sea of resources is difficult to navigate. A call to Mile High United Way 2-1-1 helped them find a place with hot running water and a playground on site. The mother is happy her children have more safety and stability.
Our 2-1-1 Help Center helped the family and our partner organization fund resources for their most pressing need – a safe home.
Shanell works in Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Help Center. In the two years that she’s been on the other end of the phone, she has helped countless people find resources they need to meet their basic needs, solve problems, and move forward in their lives.
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“I love working at Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Help Center because I want to see change in my community.”
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Recently, Shanell was able to help an older woman and her granddaughter in person. The woman was in the midst of a crisis of sorts: she did not have a deposit for that month’s rent, and she was under great stress. “I told her that I could give her some resources, but I couldn’t guarantee that the places she called would have what she needed,” she said. “By the end of our visit she seemed greatly relieved.” The woman left, but later, paid Shanell a second visit – this time to tell her that the resources had indeed panned out.
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“It was such a great feeling to know that I could give someone hope,” Shanell said.
As a resource specialist in Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Help Center, Aubrey often has an opportunity to help others. During one of her conversations with an elderly caller, she took on an additional role: advocate.
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The woman on the other end of Aubrey’s line had lost her Veteran husband of many years, and had started receiving notices from her mortgage company about a possible foreclosure. She wasn’t sure what to do next.
It became clear to Aubrey that her elderly caller was struggling with memory issues, and possibly early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to giving the woman some resources to try, Aubrey promised to call back several days later to ensure that the woman had followed through.
When Aubrey called back, the woman had forgotten about the resources and the steps she needed to take to get her payments on track, so Aubrey decided to reach out to an elder-care provider to describe her caller's issues and see if they could take her on as a client.
Their positive response was heartwarming for Aubrey; they were able to ensure that the foreclosure did not proceed, and that their new client would have in-home support to keep the business of her life from becoming too overwhelming. “It felt good to know she would be taken care of,” said Aubrey
MEET CANDACE
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With your support, Mile High United Way's 2-1-1 Help Center enables thousands of people across Metro Denver to meet their basic needs and move toward economic success.