The Racine County Here to Help Program, which gives residents in crisis a one-stop call to connect to help, recently handled its 5,000th call since launching in May 2020.
The Here to Help Program launched early in the COVID-19 pandemic as a proactive effort to reach families facing barriers to services amid closures and stay-at-home orders. In the time since, Here to Help has played a crucial role in keeping people in their homes through emergency rental and mortgage assistance, as well as in helping residents navigate various public systems.
“Here to Help has given us the opportunity to engage with families on a voluntary basis to truly fulfil our vision of creating a healthy, educated and empowered County. While we often meet our families during a crisis, too often it is not by their choice. This program helps build bridges of trust with the most vulnerable residents of our community,” said Racine County Human Service Director Hope Otto.
Since last May, Here to Help has handled 5,018 calls. This includes calls and messages into Here to Help, as well as proactive calls from staff to residents. From those 5,000-plus calls, program staff have made over 1,000 referrals to services – ranging from rent, food, shelter, mental health counseling, unemployment assistance and personal safety. The Racine County Human Services Department redirected staff from other areas to keep up with demand and ensure residents’ essential needs could be met.
Here to Help is made possible through funding from the United Way of Racine County, Racine Community Foundation, and the City of Racine’s Community Development Block Grant program. The program has distributed a total of $105,903 in housing funding – the vast majority of which is rental assistance – to over 70 Racine County families.
“The Here to Help program and its staff have made a real difference in the lives of residents. They have worked tirelessly to help Racine County families persevere through crisis, get back on their feet, and become self-sustaining. I am so proud of their efforts, and I want to especially thank our community partners for their support in making this program possible,” County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said.
Though the pandemic is subsiding, the Here to Help program will continue to serve as a key resource for residents needing emergency assistance. Residents who want to connect to the program can call (262) 638-6400, email HereToHelp@racinecounty.gov, visit the program online at www.racinecounty.gov/HeretoHelp, or check out the program’s new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RacineCountyHeretoHelp.
