- Greater Valdosta United Way is working to get Valdosta covered by 211, a helpline that helps with housing, food, and mental health.
- A new text line and call center is planned withint the nest two years through a $213,000 government funding package.
- Watch the video to hear why Georgia is only one of two states without this coverage.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
Over 1 million residents in Georgia are living below the standard of financial survival and are in need of access to resources like housing and mental care. A 211 network is coming to help.
"You wanna know what this remind me of? A cookie. If you take a cookie and crumble it... this is what happens. If we don't come together real soon, this world gone be that cookie."
I'm Malia Thomas, your neighborhood reporter in Valdosta, and I'm speaking with neighbors about the need for a consolidated helpline in our city.
This is James A. Smith. He's lived in Valdosta his entire life.
I meet him while visiting LAMP, one of Valdosta's homeless shelters.
He regularly comes to their soup kitchen.
"My problem is, I don't have a job."
He tells me on top of food insecurity, he's been plagued by mental health problems.
He says our area needs a centralized resource like 211 to help him and neighbors.
"It'll heal a lot of problems going on here. It's a lot of homeless people living under the bridges. Ain't got nowhere to stay, ain't got no food, ain't got no bed."
A solution is coming their way through the Greater Valdosta United Way.
"We want to help Georgians, especially South Georgians, thrive, not just survive."
Michael Smith, their CEO, is working to bring 211 to the state.
Georgia is one of two states in the nation without that direct line to housing, food, mental health, and other social resources.
"Any particular reason Georgia doesn't have 211 statewide, especially considering the needs of South Georgia in the last couple of years?
"I think it comes down to priorities and staffing. 70% of the state's population is covered, so a lot of your big metros have it... the tough thing is, the rural areas need it the most because they have the least amount of resources and the biggest distance between said resources."
Which James tells me should not be the case, as rural Georgians matter too.
"You've got to have a heart. Where's their hearts at? We're all human; we deserve to be treated right."
United Way is hoping to establish a full new 211 Center for families in Valdosta to access services and support within two years. In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, ABC27.
