NEWS RELEASE
Contacts:
Marie Zickefoose
City of Cleveland
mzickefoose@clevelandohio.gov
Katie Connell
United Way of Greater Cleveland
kconnell@unitedwaycleveland.org or 404.895.5513 (m)
Apr. 4, 2023 – Cleveland, OH – The City of Cleveland has selected United Way of Greater Cleveland (United Way) to support the City’s 311 call center to serve as the answering service after normal business hours (Monday – Friday before 7:30 am and after 5:30 p.m.), on weekends, holidays and during surge periods.
“We promised to be an administration that answers the call, and this partnership with United Way of Greater Cleveland will help us do that better, extending high-quality customer service 24/7,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb.
Since 2004, United Way has operated its free and confidential 211 service 24/7/365. 211 is currently available in five counties across Ohio, including Cuyahoga, Geauga, Ross, Darke, and Belmont.
United Way is uniquely familiar with city services and already provides over 7,000 referrals to City of Cleveland departments and divisions each year.
“Last year, United Way 211 answered more than 160,000 calls for help, connecting residents with access to information and community resources. United Way is excited to partner with the City of Cleveland to staff the 311 line after hours and during holidays and weekends, and we look forward to supporting the ongoing needs of Cleveland residents,” said United Way of Greater Cleveland’s president and CEO Sharon Sobol Jordan.
All United Way 211 navigators have received training and onboarding from the City and started taking calls Monday evening.
The City will maintain its 311 call center operations during business hours and coordinate closely with United Way during high-demand citywide events to improve surge capacity and responsiveness.
311 receives approximately 200,000 calls for help every year. Approximately 80 percent are calls for information, including recreation center schedules, program, or contact information. Twenty percent of calls are service requests such as pothole reports, tree-trimming requests, or building violations.
This partnership with United Way expands the City’s staffing capacity and is part of a larger project to modernize 311.
Earlier this year, Cleveland City Council approved the administration’s proposal to invest $4 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to make technology upgrades to 311 and improve communications with residents.
About United Way of Greater Cleveland
Founded in 1900, United Way of Greater Cleveland is a local, independent nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty across the Greater Cleveland area. The largest private-sector investor of health and human services, United Way invests in efforts that address poverty using a two-pronged approach. The first prong focuses on the daily issues affecting those living in poverty, the Community Hub for Basic Needs. The second drives research and innovation through the Impact Institute, a think tank with an action plan, focused on identifying long-term solutions to break the cycle of poverty. For more information, visit unitedwaycleveland.org and twitter.com/UnitedWayCLE.
About United Way of Greater Cleveland 211
2022 Stats and Facts
United Way of Greater Cleveland’s 211 provides free, confidential information and resources to help people struggling with a broad range of personal, health and/or financial issues. United Way of Greater Cleveland 211 currently serves five counties across Ohio and operates a statewide hotline.
United Way’s resource information line was created in 1923 and began operating 24 hours a day in 2004. People can reach 211 by phone, online chat, in person at community events or from dedicated phone lines at Cleveland Public Library branches to speak to a Navigation Specialist.
United Way 211 has access to a multi-lingual language line with 150 languages and assists people with hearing or speech impairments.
