Helpline is overwhelmed

The Enterprise of Brockton, Mass.
www.enterprisenews.com

By Elaine Allegrini
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
BROCKTON — Elaine Reiser and her staff are unable to keep up with the volume of calls coming in to the Helpline, Brockton Area Multi-Service Inc.s one-stop resource shop.

Were inundated, Reiser said after a record 31 calls were received on one day. There are people we cant call back, we just dont have the time.

Calls to the Helpline are already up 25 percent from a year ago and, based on past experience, will increase even more after Jan. 1.

Were like the call of last resort when no one else can help them, said Reiser, director of the program that last year served 1,988 people from 22 communities in the greater Plymouth County area.

That was up more than 60 percent from 2007.

BAMSI and its Helpline are among social service agencies in the area that benefit from the Helping Hands Fund, which is supported by The Enterprise Charitable Foundation through donations from readers during the holiday season. One hundred percent of the donations are used to provide grants to assist individuals and families.

Reiser and her staff say the needs are greater than ever and they fear private donations that have helped in past years may not be there this year because of the declining economy.

The needs are common — utilities, rent and mortgage assistance and food. The group of needy has extended from the homeless and poor to working families as fuel, food and housing costs escalate.

Even with more money available in the governments fuel assistance program and with more people eligible for benefits, many cannot stretch their income to cover basic needs, Reiser said.

Weve seen a lot of people who have lost their jobs in the past year, said program coordinator Leanne Pelser. The biggest increase is with people in the work force, even two income families.

Pelser often links the callers to available services that may range from a direct Helpline payment to help from agencies and even the businesses that provide services.

A recent caller feared his electricity would be shut off because of an overdue bill. Pelser not only assured the man of a shut-off moratorium between Nov. 15 and March 15 (extended last year to May 31), but said he may be eligible for a discounted rate.

That was an easy one, Pelser said after the 20-minute telephone conversation that included a conference call with the utility company.

Many calls take an hour or more, she said.

While the majority of calls for help come from Brockton — 69 percent last year — the needs extend far beyond the city limits — from nearby Whitman and Abington, from Attleboro to Plymouth, Needham to New Bedford and even Springfield.

With the busiest time of the year still to come, Reiser and her staff are looking to campaigns like Helping Hands to meet the increased demand for help.

She said they have the means to advocate for those in need, link them to other resources and provide some emergency funding, but the grants will help keep more people warm and fed this winter and, hopefully, in their own houses.

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