United Way of Connecticut Celebrates National 211 Day

ROCKY HILL, CT – Saturday, February 11 is National 211 Day, a day when we celebrate 211 as the state’s free, confidential, 24/7/365 information and referral service. When you call 211, at the end of the phone line there is a compassionate person saving a life, transforming a family or changing a community – one phone call at a time.     

Trained contact specialists connect callers to locally available services for help with rent, food, utility bills and health care, as well as to dedicated community partners like food pantries, health centers, housing providers and community action agencies – all who work on the frontlines to provide critical local services to those in need. 211’s curated database includes 40,000+ community programs and services, as well as screeners for 23 state and federal benefits.

On average, United Way of Connecticut’s 211 responds to more than three million inquiries across the state, with housing, food and mental health representing the most pressing non-COVID issues.

A typical 211 call would be a woman who called late on a Thursday evening for help with food. She had no food in her house. When the contact specialist searched for food pantries in the area, only one was still open but closing in 10 minutes. The contact specialist called the food pantry with the caller and stayed on the phone until a solution was found. In the process the contact specialist discovered that the caller did not have food stamps and was able to connect her to a community partner for ongoing food support.

Another caller to the crisis line shared that the crisis contact specialist “offered excellent usable tools and skills to take me through my grief. Really exceptional and I will remember her guidance during the very difficult days ahead this week. It's amazing how she was able to connect with my pain and gently guide me in a short amount of time.”

211 is supported by trusted partnerships with the State of Connecticut and Connecticut United Ways. Government and community partners trust United Way of Connecticut and work closely with them to ensure that the information provided is up-to-date and accurate.

Lisa Tepper Bates, President & CEO of United Way of Connecticut, encourages the people of Connecticut to use the service. "211 is a unique asset to our state partners and communities – serving as a “one stop shop” to connect people to services and benefits that meet their urgent needs and improve their lives. Our mission is to help people improve their lives by connecting them to the resources they need. Our terrific 211 team lives the mission of United Way of Connecticut every day through our 211 efforts.”

211 is currently available to 99% of people in the U.S.  If you or anyone you know needs help, call 211 or visit 211.org. Help is available 24/7/365, in more than 180 languages. For special 211 Day video collateral click here.

ABOUT UNITED WAY OF CONNECTICUT 211

The mission of United Way of Connecticut 211 (UWC 211) is to help meet the needs of Connecticut and its residents by providing information, education and connection to services. 211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people to essential health and human services 24/7/365 online or over the phone. 211 CT is accredited by Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS), and the American Association of Suicidology for crisis intervention: 211 CT won the Association’s National 2022 Crisis Center of Excellence Award. Learn more at 211ct.org. Visit our media center for media requests and inquiries.

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Submitted by Fairfield, CT

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