Connecticut's 211 infoline will now have a 24-hour housing crisis line starting Friday.

It comes as the United Way of Connecticut finds that the state's homeless population has doubled in the last year.

A person facing homelessness can call 211 for personal service.

The team will direct callers to the nearest shelter and connect them to other eligible aid.

"Our partners on the ground, in the homeless shelters and the housing providers, can really focus on working with that person in front of them to get them a shelter bed, a space in a warming center, or to help them even better to access housing," says Lisa Tepper Bates, president of United Way.

If you're not eligible for homeless services, 211 can also help with emergency food or utility bill assistance.

The agency is focused on keeping children and families housed.

"Rents have gone up considerably in just the last couple of years, and wages have not. A single mother who believes that, due to the loss of a job, she can't pay the rent next month. We're going to help that household to conserve their income and keep the housing that they do have," says Tepper Bates.

Bates says as the weather gets colder, United Way is beginning to see an increase in calls and a need for their services.

"We've already had an enormous spike in calls. Last month, we had over 8,000 calls," says Bates.

The homelessness hotline team had previously been staffed during business hours.

United Way says additional budget funding helped them add the staffing and resources to go 24/7.