In a crisis, in a disaster, in a pandemic, United Way’s 2-1-1 Help Line is here to help every person in our community. From finding food and paying for housing and bills to connecting to other essential services, 2-1-1 is there. Every 2-1-1 is part of the national 2-1-1 network, United to help as many people as possible.
In fact, 2-1-1 is a critical part of United Way’s fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community.
Here’s why you should use this vital service—and let others know about it, too.
1. 2-1-1 provides connections to many kinds of resources and services, including:
- Food/clothing
- Financial literacy and coaching
- Health care and insurance information
- Stable housing and utilities payment assistance
- Unemployment services
- Veteran services
- Child care and family services
- Crisis and emergency counseling for mental health concerns, domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse
- Disaster assistance
2. United Way 2-1-1 call specialists are amazing listeners! 2-1-1 does more than provide referrals to agencies. Instead, when someone has a crisis they can reach a real person, a caring expert who offers comfort, hope, and solutions. From the first hello to the final connection to help, 2-1-1 provides information, patience, empathy, and empowering action steps.
3. 2-1-1 is simple and convenient to use. The service is free, confidential, and accessible 24/7/365. It’s also available in English and Spanish.
4. There’s more than one way to use 2-1-1. You can dial 2-1-1 on your phone and speak to a trained 2-1-1 call specialist or dial (877) 541-7905 toll free. You can also browse local resources online, email us at unitedway@unitedwaysatx.org, or send mail to United Way/211, P.O. Box 898, San Antonio, TX 78293-0898. The service is also available by web chat by visiting www.211Texas.org.
5. 2-1-1 tackles problems at the roots. In fact, 2-1-1 specialists are trained to identify and address the underlying root causes of a client’s problem and connect them with a wide range of available resources that meet all their underlying needs, not just the one that prompted the call.
6. 2-1-1 helps millions of Americans each year, many of them just like you. In 2020, 2-1-1 call centers around the country made 25 million referrals and connections. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, calls averaged 50,000 per day, nearly triple the rate from the previous year. In San Antonio, we received 1,000 calls a day and spoke to hundreds of thousands of people last year. 2-1-1 is available to help anyone, no matter their situation, their income level, or their gender, age, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
7. 2-1-1 responds to new needs with flexibility and compassion. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the need for additional community resources front and center. Throughout the pandemic, United Way is always available to provide information and referrals for essential services.
Learn more and get help by visiting www.211Texas.org. And please share this information with as many people as possible, so everyone knows where to turn for help.
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