Layla was tired. A single mom of two teens, she worked full-time and still struggled to afford the basics.
She and her children shared a bedroom in her sister’s house. Without a car, she relied on buses and family rides to get to work and take her kids to school.
For months, she fought to apply for health insurance benefits. Each time, her application was denied – not because she didn’t qualify, because the language barrier made the process confusing. Without an interpreter, every conversation about documentation left her stuck.
Then, at her friend’s suggestion, Layla called 2-1-1, United Way’s 24/7 helpline connecting people to resources like food, housing, utilities, transportation, and health care.
On the other end of the line was Alicia, a compassionate Navigation Specialist who listened with patience and understanding.
Sensing how overwhelmed Layla was, Alicia invited her to the United Way office so they could complete the application together. An expert on community resources, Alicia guided Layla through the application, and they submitted it together.
This time, her application was approved. For the first time, her children had health insurance.
“Before, when my kids got sick, the most I could do was buy vitamins and pain relievers,” Layla said. “It broke my heart to see them sick and not be able to help. Now, I’m not as worried.”
Without someone checking in and believing in her, Layla might have given up.
“United Way helped me build a better life for myself and my kids,” she said. “My 2-1-1 Navigation Specialist treated me like a human. She’s an angel.”
Behind every call is a family doing their best to make ends meet. Through United Way’s 2-1-1 helpline, anyone can find support, whether it’s food, housing, medical care, or hope. Last year, 2-1-1 answered more than 1,000 requests for assistance every single day.
And for families like Layla’s, that one call can change everything.
*United for ALICE, 2025
**United Way for Greater Austin, 2025