Montgomery, Alabama — February 11th is 2-1-1 Day, in recognition of the free, user-friendly phone number that connects people in need to resources that can help. “In the River Region, nearly 25,000 calls were made to 2-1-1 for help last year alone,” said Timberly Williams, 2-1-1 Program Manager.
2-1-1 is a free statewide information and referral service that connects people with health and human service programs as well as volunteer opportunities in their communities. When you dial, 2-1-1 routes you to a local call center and a trained Information and Referral Specialist will answer your call. 2-1-1 Call Specialists will assess your needs and identify resources from a comprehensive database of local community resources. After a disaster, people can also call 2-1-1 to get help recovering from the devastation. The most common needs include water, food, tarps, shelter and disaster aid.
United Way organizations across the State support nine 2-1-1 Call Centers that make 2-1-1 available to every county in Alabama. In 2016, Alabama’s 2-1-1 network upgraded its functionality to expand a user’s ability to connect to needed services. The state resource hotline went from being a static call and dispatch service to an interactive system where callers can also engage in live chats and text messaging. United Way has been a long-standing supporter and the national leader of the 2-1-1 movement in partnership with AIRS (Alliance of Information and Referral Services).
For more information contact Timberly Williams at 334-264-3335 or [email protected]
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