If you have a question, 211 has an answer for you!
“You can call and ask them absolutely anything, and if someone in our community is offering that, 211 will connect you!”
- Sonja Sommerfeldt, Impact Program Coordinator
United Way's 211 helps you reach the right resource, right away, from right where you are.
With 1 in 3 households in our communities unable to meet their basic needs, 211 is more necessary than ever. Our ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) families, friends, and neighbors are utilizing the 211 service- both in our communities and around the nation- to access programs, services, and resources in hopes of improving their financial security. Americans turn to 211 helpline amid mounting economic hardships - CBS News
211 can often help our community members find assistance with immediate needs, including:
- housing or eviction
- food and meals
- employment
- treatment centers and support
- crisis childcare
211 can also help with essential everyday needs, such as:
- navigating pregnancy and childbirth
- finding childcare, early learning scholarships, or even backup daycare
- youth programs and services
- counseling, mediation, coaching, and support groups
- technology assistance and transportation
- legal services and identity theft protection support
- home goods, meal delivery, and farmers markets
- medical supplies, health services, and nicotine dependence opportunities
- fitness and weight loss journeys
- 211 can even connect you with clubs, recreational activities, bookstores, and theater groups!
Just dial 2-1-1 for information on hundreds of local resources. Information is also available via self-search here & by texting your zip code to 898-211.
When you call 211, you will get to talk through your current needs with a highly trained Information and Referral Specialist. This Specialist will search the expansive 211 database to connect you with any local resources that meet your needs.
In the local 211 database, there are currently over 200 organizations and agencies, offering over 500 programs and services in our community. With all of these resources available at their fingertips, 211 Information and Referral Specials are ready to connect you and your families, friends, and neighbors to the programs, services, and resources you need. They'll also work with you to brainstorm a path forward, if you would like to.
Connecting with 211 resources is:
- Free
- Confidential
- Available 24/7
- Multilingual
- One phone call away!
For TTY: 1-800-861-7364
Information about a wide range of human and social services is available through 211 in all of the counties we serve: Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted, and Winona.
211 as a Powerful Data Tool
With over 5,000 calls each year from throughout our service area, the 211 service and database allows us to understand what the needs are and where there are gaps in our communities. All while helping our families, friends, and neighbors connect with the resources they need!
By registering your agency and programs in 211 you are supporting our families, friends and neighbors to meet the needs they have.
By connecting with 211 about the needs you have, you are greatly helping to inform our work of creating communities where we all can thrive.
For questions, more information, materials, or to be added as an agency to our local 211 database - serving Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted, and Winona Counties - contact Sonja Sommerfeldt, Impact Program Coordinator at United Way of Olmsted County.