Area Leaders Support Info Line's 211 Application

INFOLINE
Bringing people and services together.
474 Grant Street • Akron, Ohio 44311 • 330-376-6660 • 330-253-1137
www.infolineinc.org

AKRON, OH - Area leaders--including Mayor Donald Plusquellic and United Way of Summit County President Bob Kulinski--have announced that they will support Info Line's application to become Summit County's 211 Call Center. "Because of its outstanding service to the community for the past 25 years, Info Line is the obvious choice for this program," said Mayor Plusquellic.

In July 2000, the FCC designated 211 as the easy-to-remember number to call for access to community information and referral. Info Line has worked closely with state and regional organizations to develop a plan to implement 211 throughout Ohio. Currently, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is considering their request to authorize the Ohio Council of Information and Referral Providers to designate county 211 Call Centers.

Part of the application process will require area support of the agency's designation. "We are very fortunate that Summit's leaders see the value that 211 will bring to this area," said Elaine Woloshyn, President and CEO of Info Line. "Their support has allowed us to thoroughly prepare so that we can become one of Ohio's first 211 Call Centers."

Info Line, Inc., has served as Summit County's information and referral service since 1975. Information and referral provides a bridge between people who need services and the agencies offering those services. Info Line maintains a database of over 1,100 service providers which serve Summit County and Wadsworth. Trained information specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - with specialized telecommunications equipment to serve individuals with hearing impairments. Because of support of local funding agencies - such as United Way, the Area Agency on Aging, the City of Akron, and Summit County - this is a free service to area residents.

Callers can receive free information about any number of services, including:

Child Care Connection, the resource and referral program for parents and child care providers, is another community-information program of Info Line. Part of a statewide network of referral agencies, Child Care Connection serves Summit, Medina, Portage, Stark, Trumbull, and Mahoning Counties. The program links families to child care resources and provides consumer information for parents.

211 will be an extension of Info Line's existing programs. "Now that this area requires 10-digit dialing, many of our clients find it difficult to remember the phone numbers of our community programs," said Sue Pierson, Vice President of Programs for Info Line. "211 will address that by giving them a simple, easy-to-remember number which can connect them to human service providers, child care resources, county and city government services, and more."

Info Line has already raised half of the funds necessary to start the 211 Call Center thanks to the generous support of the GAR Foundation, the Mary S. & David C. Corbin Foundation, the Akron Community Foundation, and the Charles E. & Mabel M. Ritchie Memorial Foundation.

For more information, contact Info Line, Inc., at 330-376-6660 or visit www.infolineinc.org.. The 211 Ohio website can be found at www.21lohio.net.

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