Sacramento County’s 211 helpline is bracing for an unprecedented wave of calls as approximately 270,000 county residents face delayed CalFresh benefits due to the federal government shutdown. With the disruption affecting 5.5 million Californians statewide, information and referral services are seeing call volumes spike even before November’s benefits fail to arrive.
“People have already heard that their services are going to be affected and they’re already calling us,” said Tim Giuliani, Executive Director of Connecting Point, which operates 211 services for Placer and Nevada counties. “We’re already receiving an uptick in CalFresh-related phone calls.”
211 is a free, confidential service that connects callers to local social and health resources. Available 24 hours a day, it helps residents find food, housing, healthcare, and other essential support. In Sacramento and neighboring counties, trained specialists answer calls and maintain databases of verified community programs, including CalFresh application assistance and food pantries…