First Call for Help answers the call with just one employee

When a person needs help paying a utility bill or other financial assistance, a good resource is First Call for Help, said executive director Denise Wimp.

But FCFH is facing some challenges.

Right now, Wimp is the only employee at the agency, she said, since grant funding was lost for other positions.

From 2017 to 2018, FCFH answered 2,072 calls, and either opened cases or identified needs in 2,252 instances, according to United Way of Southeast Missouri’s operations manager Donna Noe.

Noe said 1,891 referrals were given in that same time frame.

Wimp, who has been with FCFH for its 19 years serving a five-county area, told the Jackson Board of Aldermen at its regular meeting Monday the agency acts as a referral service for people who need temporary assistance, but while that sounds like a tidy process, it’s often not.

There’s a telephone help line, Wimp said, and when people call in, there’s a process.

“I don’t just give a list of resources, say ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye,’” Wimp said. “There’s a needs assessment.”

For instance, someone may need help paying a utility bill, but why is that bill unpaid?

“Maybe somebody lost a job, and there’s an immediate need of food — food pantries can help with that,” Wimp said, “but who can help with the larger need of food?”

Maybe skills training is necessary or help writing a resume, Wimp said. Or maybe the caller qualifies for assistance because a household member has a disability, is pregnant or a veteran, or qualifies for other assistance streams.

“We assess the need, then connect the caller with the agency that helps them best,” Wimp said.

It’s not just a two-minute process, either, she noted.

“The majority of our calls are financial-assistance related, and the solution tends to be more than one agency pulling together. I keep track, and sometimes I make calls on behalf of the client,” Wimp said.

Some providers want to hear from FCFH first, Wimp said.

In those cases, she’ll call on the client’s behalf, and take pledges of assistance from multiple agencies, maybe three or four, Wimp said.

Since she doesn’t leave the office to make these arrangements, Wimp said, she isn’t a case manager.

“We do case assistance,” Wimp said.

Otherwise, no one would be around to answer the phone, she said.

The City of Jackson partners with FCFH, and at the meeting, Wimp thanked elected officials and city staff for their support.

Other partners include the City of Cape Girardeau, United Way of Southeast Missouri, Community Caring Council, SoutheastHEALTH and Missouri Foundation for Health.

In response to city manager Jim Roach’s comment the utility collection department and police department in Jackson make the most calls, Wimp said yes, and each call tends to involve more than just funds for utilities.

“It’s very helpful for me to know how the utility company works,” Wimp said, noting it’s beneficial to understand how different agencies work, too.

And, after 19 years, Wimp said, she knows people.

“If something doesn’t sound right, I can ask agencies,” she said.

“When we all pull together community resources for the betterment of clients, it helps the people, and it helps our community,” Wimp said.

FCFH serves Cape Girardeau, Scott, Stoddard, Perry and Bollinger counties.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630