As the cost of living in Connecticut continues to rise, an increasing number of households are one unexpected event away from financial disaster. A sudden illness, a layoff, an accident – one hardship can derail it all.
That’s exactly what happened to Christelle. In early 2025, she was gainfully employed, with a baby on the way. She was proud of herself: she was building a financial foundation for her family.
But that October, just a few months postpartum, “I faced the reality that so many working families in Connecticut experience but barely talk about.” When her car was repossessed, she instantly became one of the 570,000 households across the state navigating financial hardship every single day.
“With my primary means of transportation gone, the dominoes started to fall one by one. When you lose transportation, you don’t just lose a vehicle — it was access to work, child care and basic stability. I had to figure out how we were going to survive.”
Christelle had heard of 211. “I was determined not to stay down,” she says. She took a deep breath and dialed.
A trained, knowledgeable 211 Contact Specialist answered. Christelle explained her situation, and her Contact Specialist listened intently, asking questions that would help determine what kinds of information and services would be the best fit for her situation. She guided Christelle to CT Hires, and educated her about digital certification training programs.
Christelle enrolled, earned key certifications, and secured a hybrid position. But that was only half the battle. “I still needed to physically get my son to daycare.” That’s where United Way’s Ride United program stepped in. “Being able to rely on safe, consistent transportation to get my baby to daycare gave me the lifeline I needed to rebuild our lives.”
Now, Christelle and her son are back on track. She’s secured a career as a Client Care Agent for a Hartford-based health insurance company, and she’s able to afford quality child care for her son.
At a crucial juncture, 211 gave Christelle the information and support she needed to bridge a gap – and secure a bright future for her household. “Hardship doesn’t care if you live in a city or a suburb; it affects families across our entire state, she says. “I am proof that when you give a parent access to practical tools, resources and policy support, we will do the work to lift our families up.”
The number of CT residents needing help continues to rise, but 211 is here to answer the call 24/7/365.
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