The 411 on 211: United Way reminds community 'help is there'

Mar. 6—United Way in Ashland has been part of the area for 85 years, and Executive Director Jerri Compton of United Way of Northeast Kentucky said many members of the community instantly recognize the organization's logo, but they might not realize that each United Way is focused on serving the needs of its community.

Each individual United Way partners with local government agencies and civic organizations to ensure that residents of the community receive needed services in the most effective way possible.

"We are always behind the scenes," Compton said. "People recognize the logo as being national and global, but they aren't aware of what we do here locally." Compton admitted to her knowledge of the organization being general in 2011 when she worked at Bellefonte Hospital. A co-worker had asked her if she was going to be part of a United Way program that year, and she had to respond that she really had no knowledge of the program. The co-worker's response — that Compton was already involved with many of the other associated organizations — brought home to her the point that many people did not know the things the United Way supported.

When the then-director retired in 2013, she applied for and was hired for the position. Her years of administration served her well in the position, but the lack of public knowledge of what the United Way offered was something she was determined to remedy.

"We needed someone to tell our story," Compton said. "And that's why we needed an Angie."

The "Angie" is Angie Ross, United Way's new marketing, social media and resource specialist. Ross said her father was originally from Ironton, and that he had returned to the area when he retired. She graduated from the Colorado Institute of Art and returned to the area herself in the late '90s. Her background is in marketing, photography and graphic design, and she said she plans to use all of her skills and experience to raise awareness of what the United Way does in the community. Raising awareness, she said, will help United Way and all of its partners serve the community better.

A good example of one of the stories Ross wants to tell is one that occurred during the recent devastating storms that hit the area. The Ashland Community Kitchen opened its doors and kept them open, ensuring that residents in need could have hot meals amidst power and water outages.

Dr. Desmond Barrett, Executive Director for the Kitchen, said United Way was crucial in making that possible.

"The United Way is that behind-the-scenes partner that is helping non-profit organizations like the Community Kitchen and River Cities Harvest and others in the community," Barrett said. "And if we don't have the investors who are putting in their donations in to the United Way, then that trickles down and hurts an agency like the Ashland Community Kitchen."

United Way, Barrett said, was one of the organizations that allowed the Kitchen to go above and beyond in response to the emergencies.

The need to raise awareness of what is possible, and to respond quickly and concisely to needs in the community both on a regular basis and in an emergency, is what has led to a drawing-together of organizations that can be accessed or activated quickly through 211.

"211 is one number people can call to get what they need as quickly as possible," Compton said. "It can be called 24/7, 365 days a year. And if you call it, you will be able to speak to a live operator who can help you.

"We invested in this program and launched it in 2018 after some research and community conversations that involved our coalitions and basically listening and asking questions," Compton said.

Those conversations, she said, were a means of getting to the underlying needs of the community and what could be done not only to address those needs but address them in the best way possible.

"We were looking for the gaps," Compton said. "We have some wonderful organizations, and they have been doing fantastic work for many years." But one focus of their research was on which organizations were using evidence-based efforts and to determine if there was a duplication of efforts.

Along with possible gaps that need to be bridged to focus service efforts, the overlaps or duplications as Compton said can be challenging.

"There is always a place for your passion," Compton said. Empathy and the desire to help is never misplaced, she said, because need is unfortunately always present. "I teach a class on Volunteerism at ACTC. And I always ask if there has ever been a time in your life when you thought something wasn't right. When you see the problem, then you can begin to see the solution and at that point your have been introduced to activism."

But the desire to volunteer and to advocate for someone does not have to be isolated or embarked upon alone, Compton said. Activism and volunteerism multiply when shared.

Compton said once a person has developed that sense of activism, the next question should be is there anyone else currently attempting to solve the same problem or fill the same need. This, she said, is the basic underpinning of the 211 program.

Bringing organizations together, simplifying the access, and making the entire process more streamlined and effective. It also allows each organization or volunteer to play to their own strengths while ensure that if extra or different strengths are needed then they are simply a phone call away, waiting to help.

Helping is the most crucial part of everything, Compton said.

"That's the story we want to tell," she said. "We want to weave that story of helping throughout every aspect of our community, and let people know where that help is available. And if you need help, even at 2 a.m., you can call the 211 number, and that help is there."