$114K grant enables county

Info Line to expand services

Following a 43-percent increase in call volume in 2001, Info Line of Middlesex County has been awarded a two-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Info Line is a toll-free (1-888-908-4636), county-wide, confidential help line designed to connect callers to community services, including financial assistance, legal guidance, mental health services, substance abuse programs, services for senior citizens, health care, and more. United Way of Central Jersey is one of its largest funding sources.

Info Line also supports the work of community social service professionals by providing them with immediate referrals for their clients.

"We are grateful to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the opportunity to expand our reach in the communities that we serve," Executive Director Lisa Zittis said of the $114,000 grant. "The grant will enable us to improve our accessibility both on the phone and on site. We’ll now be available weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and around the clock on weekends and holidays."

The grant will also be used to perform outreach in high-need communities, create and distribute a county-wide health and social service directory, and make community needs data available on the Info Line Web site at www.info-line.org.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, is the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care.