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First Call’s information, referral program busier last year due to poor economy

JANESVILLE — Requests for help finding food pantries.

Phone calls from people who have moved to the area and are looking for jobs.

E-mails seeking information about immigration.

The past year saw an increase in requests for information through the First Call program.

First Call itself does not provide services but acts as a link between people who need help and agencies and programs that can provide assistance.

“People are looking for different forms of assistance and hoping to find it in their communities,’’ said Rob Wilkinson, program volunteer.

And need is projected to increase because of the sputtering economy.

“It’s not as bad now as it will be once unemployment runs out and they don’t get another job. We’re going to be overwhelmed with requests for the top four needs,’’ said Barb Wien, coordinator for First Call, a joint program of United Way of North Rock County and Stateline United Way.

About 40 percent of the calls in 2008 were from people seeking rent assistance, utility assistance, transportation and basic needs such as clothing, Wien said.

“They’re all related to the economy and have been consistently top needs since First Call started in 1995,’’ she said.

Rounding out the top 10 last year were requests for help with subsidized housing, food programs, health/medical, shelter/emergency housing, financial and legal assistance.

Although the number of First Call referrals dropped 3 percent to 8,189 in 2008, more people found help through the organization’s Web site, which had 116,249 hits in 2008, a 32 percent increase.

But not everybody who sought help through First Call received assistance, Wien said.

According to the 2008 year-end report, 518 callers sought rent assistance/security deposits, but 150 didn’t get help for various reasons, including no funds available or they didn’t qualify.

Of the 288 callers asking for utility assistance, 78 didn’t get help.

And of the 269 people who needed transportation, only 200 got help because of a limited supply money, bus tokens and vouchers for gas or travel.

Wilkinson is concerned about how the small First Call staff will keep up.

In 2008, two interns and three volunteers helped answer calls and update program records and directories.

This year, Wien said, “we’re going to keep doing what we’re already doing—keeping information updated—and attend task force meetings.’’

“We know unemployment is very high in Rock County, the homeless shelter is constantly filled and poverty in Rock County is increasing,’’ she said.

“We’re just going to get busier,” Wilkinson said.