If you needed a food pantry or emergency shelter, how would you locate it?  Google?  Yellow Pages?  Your place of worship?  While most of us will never experience hunger or the threat of homelessness, thousands* of our neighbors do every year, and have turned to 2-1-1 @ IMPACT for help in accessing these kinds of resources and many others.

Our call data demonstrates that the issues causing people to struggle the most – whether they’re from the heart of Milwaukee, the near Northshore or the southern suburbs – are surprisingly similar.  The Top Five Needs of callers from randomly-selected communities – Franklin, Greendale, Shorewood, Wauwatosa and Milwaukee – include the most basic of human needs:  Food and Shelter. (See the map below)

Milwaukee’s communities are diverse in some ways.  But, wherever you live, you likely have neighbors who need help.  If you would like to help them, make a contribution to your community’s food pantries, shelters, or other services.  Together, we can change our neighbors’ lives – and our communities – for good.

* 2-1-1 @ IMPACT is committed to connecting our neighbors to the services they need.  This past July, there were 14,792 calls to 2-1-1 @ IMPACT; and in August, the service responded to 11,593 community calls for help. Since 2-1-1 @ IMPACT started operating in 2002, this free, 24/7/365 hotline has responded to almost one million calls from our community.

Today is the 2010 United Way Campaign kick-off.  Your workplace may conduct a campaign; you may read articles about United Way in JSOnline; or you may see campaign billboards throughout our community encouraging you to “Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED”.

There’s a reason why:  when people support the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, they’re actually supporting organizations that help our community.  In fact, a large donation from the United Way made it possible for 2-1-1 @ IMPACT to respond to nearly 11,000 community households that sustained flood damage this past July.

IMPACT is our community’s gateway to: affordable healthcare; food pantries; meal sites; utility bill payment assistance; alcohol and other drug abuse help; and many other programs that our neighbors need in this tough economy.  Supporting the United Way is one way to help them access these programs and change their lives – and our community for good.

Click here to see how IMPACT helped over 150,000 of our neighbors last year with the help of United Way.  Click here to see a list of other organizations that are benefitted by United Way.

Remember when you were a kid in school and you did your best to stay away from the Whiners; the Slackers -- and worst of all -- the Bullies?  As adults, bullying in the workplace is no laughing matter.  In fact, a disturbing report about a recent killing spree at a beer distributing company in Connecticut may have been rooted in workplace bullying. 

Research conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute has demonstrated that 37% of the U.S. workforce – or 54 million employees – are being bullied or have been bullied at some point during their career.  People who are bullied in the workplace report lower overall well-being, less job satisfaction and less satisfaction with their bosses; and are more likely to quit their jobs.

IMPACT’s Workplace Services Division, Symmetry is an expert at intervening in on-the-job conflicts, including bullying; and offers these 4 tips if you or someone you know is the target of the on-the-job bully:

1. Find out whether your company has an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) and contact them.  EAP services are confidential and often offered as a part of employees’ benefits package.
2. Keep records.  Document the date(s) of occurrence, the actions of the individual and how you responded to them.
3. Lodge a formal complaint with your Human Resources department or hiring manager.
4. Read up!  A good place to start to find other information and resources about workplace bullying is the Workplace Bullying Institute at www.workplacebullying.org.

Symmetry is the workplaces services division of IMPACT that helps organizations target workplace issues to enhance performance, increase productivity and create a culture that fosters a healthier workforce. Experts provide responsive, solution-focused consultation and training to improve efficiency, facilitate effective group dynamics, and build capacity to manage change.

For more information about Symmetry, please contact Sue Beck-Riekkoff at (414) 256-4807 or visit Symmetry’s website at www.symmetryeap.org.

2-1-1 @ IMPACT ASSISTS MILWAUKEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN DOCUMENTING THE SCOPE OF FLOOD DAMAGE

 IMPACT’s ability to sustain a successful public-private partnership and ramp up capacity proves beneficial in disaster response

Number of Damage Reports:  2-1-1 @ IMPACT is assisting Milwaukee County Emergency Management to document the damage to residential property. Through July 28, 7,831 people contacted 2-1-1 @ IMPACT: 4,575 filed an online report by following the Flood Damage link at www.impactinc.org; 3,256 called 2-1-1 @ IMPACT to provide a brief description of property damage and general contact information.

How to Report Damage:  Click here for the flood damage link. It’s easier and faster than calling 2-1-1 since the call center is running at capacity. It also frees up the lines to help people in need of information or referral to resources as a result of the flooding – such as emergency food and shelter. Dial 2-1-1 or 1-866-211-3380.

2-1-1 @ IMPACT’s Increased Capacity:  2-1-1 @ IMPACT is receiving supplemental assistance from 2-1-1 New Jersey and 2-1-1 Indiana, in addition to several call centers within the 2-1-1 Wisconsin network. Their primary directive has been to contact those residents who requested a call back on the automatic system. Citizens and Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) and the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) have also mobilized to take calls. The call center is preparing to train several volunteers from various departments within Milwaukee County, as well as employees of the Milwaukee County Transit Company.

2-1-1 @ IMPACT’s Role:  The information 2-1-1 collects, by phone and online, is forwarded to Milwaukee County twice per day. They are using this information to determine the scope of this disaster and to request assistance from the State or Federal government. 2-1-1 @ IMPACT staff and volunteers have been informing callers that Milwaukee County Emergency Management may or may not follow up with them; and that there is no guarantee that any financial or other assistance will be made available to residents who have called to report damage.

2-1-1 @ IMPACT serves as a 24-hour central access point for information and referral to family, health and social services. IMPACT, a non-profit organization with 50 years of helping people get connected with appropriate resources, is the designated service provider of 2-1-1 in Milwaukee County. Nationally, 2-1-1s are often called upon in emergency situations for information collection and dissemination.

Last week’s record rainfall meant that thousands of families had their lives interrupted by traffic jams, loss of power and in many cases – loss of property.  Many wondered where to turn.

As clean up efforts continue, 2-1-1 @ IMPACT is responding to calls from people in the community who are wondering what their next steps will be.  2-1-1 @ IMPACT is a free, 24-hour, 7-day-per-week information and referral hotline that responds to well over 140,000 calls per year.  In just one day, the hotline saw the call volume grow to 500% over the norm with flood-related calls.

2-1-1 @ IMPACT is collecting information about damage that callers have sustained, and then passing that information on to Milwaukee County Emergency Management.  Collected data will be a critical piece that helps determine whether any disaster relief funding will be made available to address flooding damage.

As of today, the call volume is extremely high, and 2-1-1 @ IMPACT has expanded to 1500 phone lines and recruited scores of volunteers to keep up with the demand.

If you have flooding damage or questions about your next steps, please dial 2-1-1 from a land line or 1-866-211-3380 from a cell or pay phone. You can also go online to report flood damage by clicking here.

Each day during the Summer, an average of 6,300 teens try marijuana for the first time – 40 percent more than the rest of the year.

Research shows that teens with unsupervised time are three times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs. Unsupervised teens are also more likely to engage in other risky behaviors such as underage drinking, sexual activity, and cigarette smoking than other teens.

Young people are less likely to use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs if parents communicate their intolerance of the behavior. Setting and enforcing clear rules for conduct, and discussing – in advance – the consequences of breaking them, will help your children to recognize and respect limits.

Talking to your children about drinking and using drugs requires more than delivering one simple “don’t do drugs” message. As kids age, their attitudes about drugs become more sophisticated. Successful anti-drug messages must be customized for the growth stage of your child’s life. And don’t forget to serve as a positive role model for your kids.

Tips for Parents

• Express interest in your child’s life. Ask questions and really hear what they say. Showing your willingness to listen will help them feel comfortable about opening up to you.
• Have an open dialog about the consequences of alcohol or drug use, and point out the impact of poor decision-making. Share your fears about their involvement in dangerous behaviors, and encourage them to contemplate how bad choices could affect their ability to attain goals in life.
• Know where your child is and what he or she will be doing during unsupervised time. Don’t be afraid to ask where they’re going, whom they’ll be with, and what they’ll be doing. Get to know your kids’ friends and their parents also.
• Discuss the physical effects that drinking alcohol or using drugs can have on someone who is driving. Remind them to never get into a car with someone who has been drinking or using drugs. Make sure they know that you’re willing to pick them up any time from anywhere.
• Be aware of online computer activity. The availability of drugs through on-line pharmacies is contributing to the latest significant trend in drug use: prescription drug abuse.

IMPACT provides comprehensive assessment and referral services for people concerned about themselves or a loved one; as well as a broad range of prevention and education services aimed at encouraging healthy decisions by young people.            

For more information or to receive a free booklet from IMPACT titled “The Prepared Parent,” please call (414) 256-4808.