Granite United Way’s ‘211 NH’ Hotline Is Now The Statewide Call Center For COVID-19

United Way’s "211 NH," a service of nonprofit Granite United Way, is now the statewide center for Coronavirus-related calls, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader. Governor Chris Sununu reportedly made the decision on Friday.

The Union Leader says more and more people are having to use the telephone to get the information they need to go about their daily lives. People are also turning to their phones for comfort. That's where the people who work for the 211 NH call center, which is located in Manchester, play an important role. Patrick Tufts, president and chief executive of Granite United Way told the Union Leader,

There’s a lot of comfort in talking to a person. Our people are helpers.

The number of calls the center gets have dramatically increased, as per the Union Leader. They received what is normally a month worth of calls in just five days. The employees are working overtime, and other people who work for the state of New Hampshire are providing back-up.

There's also a text version of 211 for younger people who prefer to text. It's 603-898-211.