Each week we will post a summary of interesting and representative 211 calls. This week, we have a connection from Manitoba.

Manitoba:

One of the most helpful aspects of 211 is that people can call for a variety of reasons, and get help with very different needs – all in the same call.

A woman called 211 and explained that she needed a place to do laundry, as her washing machine had broken and she could not afford to fix it at this time. She wanted to know if there was a place she could do her laundry for free. He let her know that he would look for that, but also asked her if she needed any other services. She then told the Service Navigator that she also needed help to fill out the application form for the Canada Manitoba Housing Benefit, as she was having difficulty completing the application herself.

The Service Navigator asked some questions of the caller to determine the best fit of services, especially with regard to the laundry, as it would be difficult to travel far with that. The Service Navigator found both a place for the caller to do the laundry, and somewhere to help her with the housing benefit form, not far from her residence. She took down the information and the Service Navigator encouraged her to call 211 again any time she had questions about community services. The caller told him: “I am a first time caller to 211. I am glad to know that you are always available.”