Each week we will post a summary of interesting and representative 211 calls. This week, we have connections from Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick.

Newfoundland and Labrador:

Keeping track of the different regulations regarding COVID can be very confusing. Fortunately, 211 Service Navigators know where to find trustworthy information, so that people can understand their rights and responsibilities.

A senior called 211 and she was quite upset. The caller was denied entry into a dollar store to pick up certain food items because she was not wearing a mask. The caller had explained to the staff member that she was exempt from wearing a mask because of a health condition, and that she had a document stating that fact. The caller was still denied entry and was banned from the store when she protested. The store employee said that the regulations had changed, and there were no more mask exemptions. The caller was then told to leave the store in an aggressive manner. The caller told the Service Navigator: “I was so humiliated!”

The 211 Service Navigator let the caller talk about her frustration and embarrassment about her treatment at the store. The Service Navigator then suggested that they look at the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s website to clarify the rules about masks. The caller and the 211 staff member went over the posted mask exemptions and discovered that they had not changed.

The caller was then encouraged to connect with the store’s owner to review the issue and to report the incident.

New Brunswick:

When people are isolated, it can be easy to fall between the cracks. As well, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been more pressure on social service agencies than ever before. 211 Service Navigators are there to make sure that their clients make the right connections to agencies that can help them.

A 211 Service Navigator took a call from a gentleman in his eighties who was looking for food assistance/food delivery. He explained that he had been trying to reach his local food bank for delivery since the beginning of January, but has had no call back. He said that he was alone, had no support and at his age, his health was very fragile

The Service Navigator empathized with his situation and tried to better understand the steps he had taken to contact the food banks and to ensure a call back and registration for food delivery. The gentleman seemed confused about the process and was not sure that he had registered after all. The Service Navigator offered to contact the food bank on his behalf to make sure that he was on the list for a delivery and that they had all the information they needed to help him. She also referred him to additional food bank options in his area.

Follow up was offered in a few days to make sure he was contacted by the food bank. The food bank manager responded to the Service Navigator that there had been an issue with the caller’s application because he had called on the wrong date, but they were able to correct the situation and would be calling him the very next day.

During the follow up, the caller said that he was really thankful that 211 had clarified the situation and he confirmed that he did receive a call about his food delivery from the food bank.