As the 211 Information Helpline for a 14-county area, Community Connection became the contact organization for a range of local relief efforts after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. Using both our telephone helpline and our website, our Information and Referral Specialists distributed information to hundreds of people on how they could give or receive help.
With the assistance of three Red Cross offices, we maintained schedules of local blood drives for a 12-county area. We also joined Family Counseling Services and Advantage Behavioral Health Services in coordinating and publicizing support for members of the community traumatized by the attacks, or persecuted as a result of perceived ethnic conflict. Also, in line with what our I&R Specialists do every day, we directed those who wanted to donate money or time to the appropriate agency.
Community Connection plans to continue its role as an informing and coordinating agency throughout this time of national uncertainty, and to have a system in place to handle disaster situations. We are partnering with several community agencies, including the
Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the
American Red Cross, to plan an appropriate community response should catastrophe arise. |
