Connecting those in need to what they need
BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer
The Middlesex County Info-Line developed as a solution to two separate problems: people who needed community assistance didn't always know where to find it, and people who provide community assistance couldn't always reach those who need it.

It's a common issue, said Steven Nagel, executive director, and with the nation's ongoing financial difficulties, it might become more so. When people, especially those who have never needed to reach out for community assistance before, need help, they often don't know where to start.

Nagel said that they might begin with a local church only to find that they don't provide the service the person needs, or that they only help those in the congregation, or that there simply aren't enough resources to add new people to charitable programs. Someone might be eligible for government programs, but it may take weeks of working through the bureaucracy before realizing that they have the wrong agency for what they need.

The info line, formed in 1995, acts as a connector between people who need community assistance and the people who provide it. The organization uses a database of 1,200 agencies and 4,800 programs in the public, private and nonprofit sector, to lead callers to where they need to go so they can get help. The organizations the info line connects people to cover a very wide variety of services, from negotiating rent or utility assistance to domestic violence counseling. When first formed, the organization served 847 people. Now in its 13th year, the info line anticipates that it will be connecting more than 32,000 people to organizations that may help them.

"Whatever the reason, cause of need, this is what we're here to do. All they need to do is dial," said Amy Papi, the new president of the Middlesex County Info Line.

The info line began as a response to a report written in the mid-'90s that said that one of the biggest needs was a one-stop place to find information about social services. Originally funded by the United Way, Middlesex County and New Brunswick Tomorrow, the organization primarily runs itself now on grants and public backing. At the moment, the organization is on a push to increase its visibility in their public eye so more people who need it will be able to avail themselves of their services.

"We're not asking [people] for money … we're just saying we're here," said Papi.

The info line utilizes three full-time staff to answer the phones and assist callers, all of whom are nationally certified or are on the verge of becoming so by the Alliance of Informational Referral Systems. The Middlesex County Info Line is also the only nationally certified service of its kind on the state of New Jersey.

"It was an arduous task [to get accredited] … but the proof is in the pudding," said Papi, pointing out the roughly 4-inch-thick binder of forms that served as the application.

Nagel said that on Christmas, he mans the phones while everyone else celebrates the holiday.

"If you call on Christmas, you'll get me," said Nagel.

In addition, the organization also has a division that assists the homeless, starting in 2004 with information about services and expanding in 2006 to also include housing assistance and education. This division also employs a caseworker, and the county recently gave the organization funds to hire another one part time.

According to Nagel and Papi, what sets their service apart from other, similar organizations is the human touch. One will always reach an actual human being when calling the info line, not a voicemail asking to please press one of several options (and imploring the listener to please listen to the whole menu, since their options have recently changed).

"There is a live person that answers the phone and assists the matter," said Papi.

In addition, the info line follows up with its callers, seeing whether there is anything else they can do to help. Nagel brought up an example from his own experience in which someone called to get help with his rent. After being connected to an appropriate service, they called him back and asked how he was doing. He said that his car had broken down that week and so he used his utility money to fix his car. So they found him an agency that helped him negotiate with his utility company.

"And then we called him back a week later and he had another need. And we took care of that need. We continued to call him back until he said 'I'm fine with everything, thank you,' " Nagel said, and noted that this person was only one among the thousands whom the info-line assists.

One of the biggest difficulties the info line encounters, especially in a time when nonprofits in general are facing dwindling funding, is that at times, the service they direct someone to will not have the money to help someone who calls. Nagel also noted that compared to more visible nonprofit organizations, the info line is a little less glamorous and so tends not to get as much attention.

"We are not a sexy organization. People would rather give to the organization that researches cancer [than the organization] that gave them insurance information," said Nagel.

Still, the info line anticipates more people calling in for advice and information, and its staff members are ready to provide it. At the moment, the organization is looking to further expand into offering information to other service groups and government divisions. Nagel said, for example, that many people calling the Division of Youth and Family Services are calling for assistance rather than reporting abuse, and so DYFS would call them and they, in turn, would connect them to the appropriate community organization.

"We're 24/7. We're always available," said Papi.

The Middlesex County Info Line can be reached at 1-888-908-4636. All calls are confidential, and translation services are available.

Contact Chris Gaetano at

sentnorth@gmnews.com