The need for basic necessities in Will County just isn’t going away

In 2020, United Way of Will County said it saw an “unprecedented need” for assistance – and need that really hadn’t decreased by 2021.

It’s now 2022 and the need for basic necessities just isn’t going away, according to Kamala Martinez, president and CEO of United Way of Will County. In many cases, the people in need are hardworking people without sufficient resources to pay their bills.

That’s the reason for The Herald-News’ annual Herald-Angels campaign. Since its inception in 1997, Herald-Angels has raised thousands of dollars to help hundreds of Will County residents.

Every dollar donated to Herald-Angels goes directly to United Way of Will County, which partners with 40 organizations and funds 78 programs to help local residents remain healthy, independent, safe and successful.

In 2021, Herald-Angels had 212 donors and raised $14,695. Donations ranged from $5 to $500. Some donations were made in honor of loved ones who’d passed away; 22 remained anonymous. One anonymous individual donated $3,500 in 2020 and again in 2021.

How great is the need in Will County?

The 211 Helpline, which United Way of Will County launched in June, provided insight into the need for assistance in Will County.

This is “free, multilingual, confidential, 24-hour information and referral service that provides a central access point to health and human services in Will County,” according to United Way. Its database has 2,500 services and 646 human services, Martinez said.

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Since June, United Way of Will County made 650 referrals in the second quarter and 2,078 in the third, Martinez said.

Nevertheless, 89 people had their needs unmet in the third quarter, Martinez said. Sometimes the person was ineligible based on income or because the needed service was not available in the person’s area. Other times, the call was abandoned.

But at the end of the day, 89 people who called the 211 Helpline did not have their needs met.

“It breaks my heart when we track how many people call into the helpline and we can’t give them help because they’re not eligible for the help we’re trying to give them,” Martinez said.

But United Way doesn’t give up. Martinez said it connects those people with social workers who can help them find ways to become eligible.

“And, sometimes, they are able to help them,” Martinez said.

What do Will County residents need the most?

Food is a huge need but it’s not the top need. Housing was actually the highest need, followed behavioral health and substance abuse, financial assistance (especially for food, utilities, and clothing) and legal assistance. In the third quarter, 34.8% of the calls to the 211 Helpline were for rent payment assistance and 14.6% were for utility payment assistance, Martinez said.

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COVID-19-related calls more than doubled from the second to the third quarter, from 15 calls to 34, Martinez said. People said they were sick and lost their jobs; they needed a doctor but didn’t have a car or transportation to get there; and they needed to pick up medicine but didn’t have a ride or the money.

“They needed financial help or they needed insurance help,” Martinez said. “We have a lot underinsured in Will County or uninsured in Will County. And they needed help paying medical bills because they were sick because of [COVID-19].”

Home Sweet Home

On Jan. 1, United Way partnered with an anonymous “big-box company” Cadence Premier Logistics in Joliet to help provide people with basic houseware items, such as TVs, furniture and baby beds, strollers and car seats – any household items a large retailer would sell, Martinez said.

As of Nov. 17, United Way had given out 1,989 items to people who needed them, which was worth nearly $329,000, Martinez said. This was a 209% increase from “what United Way donated last year to families in need.”

“The need is out there,” Martinez said. “We keep seeing the increase.”

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Impact

United Way’s total impact back to the community in 2022 was $5.1 million dollars, a 68.1% increase of United Way’s total impact in 2021, Martinez said.

In addition, United Way of Will County’s corporate campaign increased by 32.5% and in-kind donations increased 209% – because the need to meet basic needs is so high in Will County right now.

United Way of Will County also gave 2,183 community service hours. That includes attending community events, such as resource fairs to provide information and/or physical items – food kits, hygiene kits and clothing – to people who need them, Martinez said.

Diaper Depots are currently available at New Life Lutheran Church in Bolingbrook, Child Care Resource & Referral in Joliet and the Lockport Township Office. United Way is making plans to add diaper depots in Braidwood and the Crete/Monee/University Park area, along with a second diaper depot in Bolingbrook, Martinez said.

United Way distributed more than 30,000 diapers in 2021, Martinez said.

“And we only see that increasing,” Martinez said.

Over the last year, United Way served more than 110,000 residents in three impact areas: health and wellness (including behavioral health), economic mobility or financial sustainability, and education and youth success, Martinez said.

“I have to be honest: we’re not always able to help everybody,” Martinez said. “But we do try.”

Martinez said that willingness to help isn’t unique to United Way of Will County. She’s witnessed it all through Will County: on the county, agency and grassroots level.

“People just want to help,” Martinez said. “And they are willing to roll up their sleeves and figure it out.”

Watch for Herald-Angels ads in the paper during the next month. Clip out the form and mail it with your donation to 1100 Essington Road, Suite 4, Joliet, IL 60435, or donate online uwwill.org/#donate.