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2-1-1 Fact Sheet
2-1-1 is an easy to remember phone number that con-
nects individuals with resources in their community.
With approximately 1.5 million nonprofit organizations
in the United States plus scores of government agencies,
finding help can be confusing and intimidating.
2-1-1 centers are staffed by trained specialists who quickly
assess the callers' needs and refer them to the help they
seek. It's simple to remember, accessible to everyone at no
cost, and available 24/7 with multilingual capabilities.
2-1-1 enables people to get help or give help.
2-1-1 offers information on a broad range of services, including
rent assistance, food banks, affordable housing, health
resources, child care, after-school programs, elderly care,
financial literacy, and job training programs. Specialists
at 2-1-1 centers facilitate thousands of volunteer hours and
direct donors to locations where their gifts may be most
needed and appropriate. One call center's referrals facilitated
nearly 65,000 volunteer staff hours worth over $1 million.
2-1-1 benefits the nation.
The human services system in many of our cities and
states is not only inefficient and costly, but is confusing
and time consuming for consumers seeking to give or get
help. It need not be this way. A 2004 University of Texas
at Austin cost -benefit analysis of 2-1-1 estimates a net
value to society approaching $13o million in the first year
alone, and a conservative estimate of $1.1 billion over
ten years. A national 2-1-1 system produces cost savings
for tax payers, employers and government; and 2-1-1
in any community saves time and enhances the human
services experience for those needing assistance.
Supporting 2-1-1 benefits your community.
2-1-1 is locally designed by community stakeholders who are
aware of their local and state needs and resources. 2-1-1 is part
of the community fabric, employs local citizens, and serves the
local community. Businesses, nonprofit organizations, and
government officials support 2-1-1 as a way to improve the lives
of the residents in their communities. As of January 1, 2007,
2-1-1 was available to over 190 million Americans
— approximately 65% of the U.S. population — with
209 active 2-1-1 systems operating in 41 states, the
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
2-1-1 enhances public safety and crisis recovery efforts.
From hurricanes and floods to bio -terrorism, 2-1-1 call
centers that already exist in communities, operating 24/7,
are the logical platform for building emergency response
communication capacity. In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita, hundreds of thousands of Louisiana, Texas and
Alabama residents called 2-1-1 with a multitude of needs,
including shelter, transportation, medical, food and water,
construction materials, mental health, and questions about the
availability of and application process for federal, state, and
nonprofit assistance. 9-1-1 referred non -emergency calls to
2-1-1, freeing up 9-1-1 operators for life -and -death situations.
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2-1-1 is a private -public partnership.
2-1-1 is funded through local and state sources including
local United Ways and other nonprofits, foundations,
businesses, and state and local government. The Calling
fore -1-1 Act seeks to authorize federal funding of $iso
million for years one and two, and Sloe million for years
three through five through the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) to help implement and sustain
2-1-1 nationwide. States would be required to provide a
5o% match in order to draw down the federal dollars.
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