At the conference this past month, attendees stopped by our booth asking, “Are you the Riddle People?”
Well, yes we are – and would you like to pin where you’re from on our map?
While we created buzz and conversation in the exhibitor hall, we enjoyed many interactions from people all across the US and Canada. The big topic this year was again around AI and what people are doing to incorporate these fast changing tools into their data management tasks.
Riddles and a Drawing Winner!
DGI is excited to announce the winner of our 2025 Inform USA Conference raffle as well as the answers to our riddle contest. The raffle awarded one lucky conference attendee $300 with a chance to win an additional $100 if they correctly answered one of our three riddles correctly.
Our raffle riddles were the talk of the conference. DGI offered three different riddles on our raffle tickets. Entrants were allowed to enter the raffle as many times as they wanted and could choose the riddle they preferred to answer. Many attendees attempted all three! In total there were 135 entries, with 59 attempting the riddle. Did you get the answers correct?
DGI Associates’ Vice President of Operations, Polly McDaniel, was recently nominated for the Inform USA “Community Resource Specialist – Database Curator of the Year” award at the 2025 Inform USA conference in Anaheim, CA this past May. This is the second year in a row that Polly has been nominated for the honor. The award specifically recognizes individuals who excel in their roles within the I&R field, demonstrating leadership, dedication, and a high standard of excellence.
“I am extremely honored to be nominated two years running for the prestigious CRS-DC Inform USA Data Curator of the Year Award. Of the hundreds of people focused on data curation work across the country, it’s hard to find the words to express my appreciation for being mentioned for my contributions.”
Polly has been an integral part of Information and Referral services for over 20 years. Her passion for connecting individuals and families to critical resources through innovative technology and human-centered solutions has been a driving force behind her success. Polly’s leadership has consistently demonstrated her ability to inspire teams, build meaningful partnerships, and ensure that DGI continues to excel in its mission of empowering communities.
If you’re interested in connecting with Polly to discuss how DGI can support your data needs, strategic planning, project management, or training, click here to schedule a time to chat.
Executive Vice President Polly McDaniel (L) with Richard Smith, Strategic Growth Specialist, and Darcy Van Orden, President.
We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Polly McDaniel to Executive Vice President of DGI Associates! This well-deserved advancement recognizes Polly’s outstanding contributions to our organization and her unwavering commitment to advancing the field of Information and Referral (I&R) services.
Polly has been an integral part of Information and Referral services for over 20 years. Her passion for connecting individuals and families to critical resources through innovative technology and human-centered solutions has been a driving force behind her success. Polly’s leadership has consistently demonstrated her ability to inspire teams, build meaningful partnerships, and ensure that DGI continues to excel in its mission of empowering communities.
Polly’s Vision for the Future
In her new role as Executive Vice President, Polly will lead bold strategic initiatives to accelerate DGI’s growth and amplify our impact across the nation. With a focus on meeting the increasing demand for reliable, accessible data, she will drive innovation in information and referral services. Polly’s vision includes harnessing cutting-edge technology, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and deepening our commitment to empowering the agencies that provide critical support to individuals in need—ensuring they can serve their communities with the highest level of effectiveness and efficiency.
Join Us in Congratulating Polly
Polly McDaniel’s promotion marks an exciting new chapter for DGI Associates, and we are confident that her leadership will guide us to even greater heights. Please join us in congratulating Polly on this incredible achievement and wishing her continued success in her new role!
We are excited to see the positive changes that Polly will lead as she takes on this well-earned position. Together, we will continue to transform data curation, one connection at a time.
Thank you, Polly, for your dedication and leadership. Here’s to a bright and impactful future!
About DGI Associates
DGI Associates supports Information and Referral (I&R) organizations by ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their service directories. Recognizing the critical role of 211s, ADRCs, and other I&Rs in their communities, we focus on improving data quality, which drives referrals, search results, and community partnerships. To address the challenges of data management, we’ve built a remote team of experts who provide ongoing updates and improvements. Our services now include software migration, database cleanup, Inform USA certification preparation, and project management—all designed to help I&Rs maintain accurate, up-to-date directories and enhance their impact.
Want to learn more about our mission and work? Visit our website at DGI Associates or explore the vital role of I&R services with InformUSA.
Yanzio and DGI Associates Explore Practical Applications of AI in Webinar
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries at breakneck speed, from healthcare to agriculture—and Information and Referral (I&R) services are no exception. If you’ve ever wondered how AI could transform your work, this is the session you can’t afford to miss!
Join industry experts from Yanzio and DGI Associates for an eye-opening exploration of AI’s practical applications in I&R. Learn how cutting-edge AI tools can help resource managers and data curators streamline workflows, improve data accuracy, and prepare for the future—all while addressing critical concerns like data protection and AI risks.
Get a firsthand look at how early adopters in I&R are already using AI tools to supercharge client and resource management systems like iCarol. Through live demos and real-world insights, discover how easy it is to integrate AI into your organization to save time, enhance efficiency, and future-proof your services.
Why Attend?
Uncover how AI is already making a difference in everyday tasks.
Learn practical strategies for adopting AI in your organization.
See live demos of the latest iCarol/Yanzio integrations in action.
Understand how to mitigate risks like AI hallucinations and protect sensitive data.
Participate in an interactive Q&A session with early AI adopters and tech leaders.
Who Should Attend? This session is perfect for resource managers, data curators, and anyone curious about using AI to innovate and thrive in the I&R space.
Take the first step toward transforming your organization with AI. Join us to discover why adopting AI isn’t just an opportunity—it’s essential.
REGISTER NOW for AI for I&R: Easy to Start, Impossible to Ignore
As the school year begins, children and parents prepare for new classes, fresh school supplies, and the rhythm of daily education. However, the start of a new academic year also serves as a crucial touchpoint for connecting families with essential social services. Schools are more than just institutions for academic learning; they are community hubs that play a pivotal role in providing access to social support, resources, and services that go far beyond the classroom.
Identifying the Need in Schools: Schools are central in identifying the needs of students facing challenges like hunger, housing instability, or lack of medical care. They provide services such as free meals, health care, and housing assistance through partnerships with local organizations and government programs.
Role of Social Service Providers: Information and Referral (I&R) Service Providers also play a key role in connecting students and families with social services including counseling, crisis intervention, and other agencies, addressing issues like abuse, mental health, and educational accommodations. DGI Associates can help ensure the records for these agencies are up to accurate, comprehensive, and up to date.
Parental Engagement: Engaging parents is crucial for connecting families with social services. Schools provide workshops, information sessions, and employ parent liaisons to ensure that parents are aware of available resources.
Community Impact: When schools effectively link families to social services, the benefits ripple through the community, creating stronger, more resilient neighborhoods. This support helps students succeed academically, breaking the cycle of poverty.
Expanding the Role of Schools: Looking ahead, schools have the potential to play an even greater role in delivering social services. Expanding partnerships, funding, and innovative approaches can ensure more students have access to the resources they need to thrive.
Schools play a vital role in the social safety net, ensuring that children and their families have access to the resources they need to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. By recognizing and enhancing this role, we can create stronger, healthier communities where every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
As summer unfolds, Information and Referral (I&R) Service Providers face a unique set of challenges. Limited time and resources can make maintaining operational efficiency a juggling act, especially with increased seasonal demands and employee vacations.
DGI offers project-based database management support that can ease the burden on Contact Center Administrators and Database Curators. Think of it as interim staffing support that provides flexibility and agility, helping to maintain employee morale and effectiveness by reducing the number of roles your team needs to cover.
Meeting Seasonal Demands While business as usual must continue through the summer, the demand for social support services often rises. People face increased energy bills due to higher cooling costs, families with children lose school-based support including food services, and extreme weather events—from forest fires to hurricanes—create additional challenges.
Embracing Flexibility and Work/Life Balance As I&R services tackle these summer challenges, staff still need to balance work with personal time, including holidays, family visits, and vacations. Short-term staffing support offers the flexibility to meet these challenges effectively.
Ongoing Database Maintenance Interim staffing is not just about filling immediate gaps. When you bring in professionals with specialized expertise, it can play a crucial role in strategic project management. This approach ensures that projects are completed on time and within budget, while empowering permanent employees to focus on their core responsibilities without distraction.
Enhancing Employee Morale While summer vacations are a well-deserved perk, they can strain workforce continuity. Supplementing existing teams with interim project support helps alleviate the burden on remaining employees, preventing burnout and maintaining morale. This support reflects a commitment to employee well-being, fostering a positive workplace culture where productivity and job satisfaction can thrive.
Conclusion Balancing multiple priorities is a year-round challenge, and the I&R industry faces particularly demanding conditions in the summer. Whether dealing with increased client demand, executing strategic projects, or maintaining employee morale, interim staff support offers the flexibility and expertise necessary to manage work more effectively.
By viewing interim staffing as a strategic asset rather than a temporary fix, businesses can capitalize on seasonal opportunities and position themselves for sustained success. As we navigate the summer months, those who embrace interim staffing are not just adapting—they’re innovating and laying the groundwork for future growth.
DGI Can Help DGI’s interim project management and database curation services provide the benefits of flexibility needed to address seasonal peaks, planned or unexpected absences, and special projects. Temporary staff can seamlessly fill gaps without the long-term commitment associated with permanent hires, allowing businesses to scale their workforce up or down as needed and ensure optimal resource allocation during fluctuating demand periods.
In times of crisis, when nature unleashes its fury in the form of hurricanes, blizzards, or heatwaves, communities often find themselves grappling with the aftermath. These extreme weather events can disrupt daily life, jeopardize safety, and leave individuals and families in urgent need of assistance. This is where the invaluable role of 211 organizations come into play, offering a lifeline to those in distress.
Behind the scenes, DGI Associates helps these service organizations by providing data management support to ensure the 211’s database of referral agencies is up to date, standardized, and easily accessible for those on the front line responding to calls from the community.
The Vital Role of Information & Referral (I&R) Services
211 is a confidential and easy-to-remember telephone number that connects individuals in need with essential community services and resources. Whether someone requires shelter during a storm, assistance with utility bills after a power outage, or medical help due to heat-related illnesses, 211 serves as a comprehensive referral system.
During extreme weather events, the demand for these services often spikes as communities mobilize to respond and recover. Trained specialists at 211 contact centers are equipped to handle the influx of calls, texts, and live chats or change to influx of contacts, providing critical information and support tailored to the specific needs of each community member.
Immediate Assistance in Critical Times
Imagine a scenario where a coastal town braces for an incoming hurricane. As residents evacuate or seek shelter, 211 becomes a centralized hub for information on evacuation routes, emergency shelters, and transportation assistance. Families separated by the chaos can use 211 to reconnect or learn how to receive updates on loved ones.
In regions facing extreme cold, 211 helps vulnerable people find warming centers, blanket distributions, and ensure that everyone has access to heat and shelter. Similarly, during heatwaves, it assists in locating cooling centers, offering tips on staying hydrated, and provides resources for where to seek medical advice for heat-related illnesses.
Beyond Immediate Needs: Long-Term Recovery
The impact of extreme weather often extends beyond the initial event. Communities may face prolonged power outages, damage to infrastructure, or economic setbacks. Here, 211 plays a crucial role in connecting people with resources for long-term recovery, such as disaster relief funds, housing assistance programs, or counseling services to cope with trauma and loss.
A Unified Approach to Community Resilience
What makes I&R services truly remarkable is their ability to coordinate with local governments, nonprofits, and volunteer organizations. By forging partnerships with these entities, 211 enhances its capacity to deliver timely and effective assistance during crises. This collaborative approach not only strengthens community resilience but also ensures that no one is left behind in times of adversity.
How You Can Support 211 Services
Supporting 211 services is not limited to emergencies alone. People can contribute by spreading awareness about the availability of 211, volunteering at contact centers, or donating to organizations that fund these vital services. By empowering 211, we empower our communities to withstand the challenges posed by extreme weather events and emerge stronger together.
How DGI Associates Supports 211 Services
DGI supports 211s, ADRCs, and I&R organizations by enhancing their data accuracy and effectiveness. Our remote team of specialists manages data tasks and ensures continuous updates. We collaborate nationwide to improve database functionality and service directory accuracy. Our expanded services now include software migration consultation, database cleanup, Inform USA certification preparation, and project management. We’re committed to empowering I&Rs with reliable, up-to-date service directories to better serve their communities
Conclusion
In the face of extreme weather events, 211s and other I&Rs emerge as a beacon of hope and assistance for communities in distress. From information about immediate needs like shelter and medical aid to long-term recovery efforts, 211 stands ready to connect people with the resources they need to navigate crises successfully. As we continue to witness the increasing frequency and intensity of these events, the role of 211 becomes more pivotal than ever in ensuring community resilience and well-being.
The 2024 Inform Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan certainly was grand. With attendees hailing from all 50 US states and 5 different countries, this year’s event marked a historic milestone as the highest-rated Inform (formerly AIRs) conference to date.
Less than a year has passed since the rebranding to Inform USA, a bold step forward after 50 years as AIRs. This pivotal conference provided a platform to reflect on our rich legacy of fostering community connections while charting a course that continues to elevate the credibility of organizations providing vital community services.
Let’s delve into the key takeaways from this year’s conference:
1. Empowering Impactful Service: Striking the Balance Between Personalization and Scale, and partnership/collaboration
In the Information and Referral (I&R) space, the landscape of service organizations is evolving rapidly to meet the changing demographics and societal challenges. While standard taxonomies help navigate the myriad offerings of each agency, there exists a nuanced network of focus areas within I&R service providers. Some call centers cater to a broad spectrum of agencies, while others specialize in targeted segments like Aging & Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) or Suicide & Crisis hotlines. Understanding these intricacies is paramount as we collectively strive to enhance industry practices and foster continuous improvement within the I&R community.
Thinking of the The 211 Ecosystem in I&R session at the conference, this isn’t entirely new. It’s just an important acknowledgement to consider in the context of Inform and the conference where we all get together to share best practices and continuously work on improving the I&R industry. Not to mention, it’s particularly important for how we organize and maintain agency data, which is something we, at DGI Associates, do for numerous organizations every day.
2. Navigating New Technologies: Harnessing the Opportunities and Tackling the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as a focal point during several sessions, underscoring its transformative potential and the accompanying challenges. With AI poised to revolutionize various industries globally, it’s imperative for the I&R sector to embrace this technological wave. Attendees gained insights into cutting-edge AI developments, ranging from speech-to-speech engagement to innovative visual tools that streamline everyday tasks, such as locating misplaced items like sunglasses.
Specifically to the I&R sector, use cases may include automating client support and data maintenance. Parallels were drawn with past experiences, particularly with Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems which prompts us to navigate the delicate balance between administrative efficiency and personalized client solutions, ensuring that AI enhances rather than hinders the delivery of exceptional services. Meanwhile, data curation and maintenance tools, like Yanzio do not have the similar public facing interface.
Overall, DGI Associates anticipate promising opportunities from AI and are actively supporting its evolution through human-led review and validation to ensure accurate delivery of AI outputs, especially in database maintenance.
3. Celebrating Excellence: Honoring Outstanding Individuals and Organizations
Amidst the technological advancements shaping our industry, it’s essential to recognize the unwavering dedication and innovation demonstrated by individuals and organizations. Many conference attendees boasted decades of experience, embodying a legacy of impact and excellence. Ahead of the conference, Inform USA solicited nominations for influential figures and organizations deserving of acknowledgment. Among the recipients were esteemed individuals like Georgia Sales of LA 211, honored with the Lifetime Achievement award, and Carlos Davila of USAging, recognized as the Community Resource Specialist – Aging/Disability (CRS-AD) of the Year. Additionally, various organizations were commended for their innovative contributions, ranging from cooperative relationships to operational effectiveness.
We at DGI Associates are delighted to acknowledge the nomination of our team member, Polly McDaniel, for CRS-AD of the Year, which underscores her steadfast dedication to the industry.
As we bid adieu to Inform USA’s 2024 Grand Gathering, our collective journey towards excellence and innovation in the I&R sector continues. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate reconvening at the 2025 Inform USA conference in California, where we’ll undoubtedly forge new connections, share insights, and chart a course towards a brighter future for community services across the nation.
DGI Associates 