2-1-1 Services

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What is 2-1-1?

2-1-1 is an easy to remember telephone number that connects people with important community services and volunteer opportunities.
2-1-1 helps people find necessary services when they do not know where to start. 2-1-1 provides callers with information about and referrals to human services for every day needs and in times of crisis.
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.

2-1-1 centers are staffed by trained specialists who quickly assess the callers’ needs and refer them to the help they seek. 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.

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 is funded through local and state sources including local United Ways and other nonprofits, foundations, businesses, and state and local government. In northwest Louisiana, 2-1-1 has been available to callers since October 2004. The 2-1-1 call center is located in Shreveport at Centerpoint Community Services. With a resource database of nearly 2000 entries, Centerpoint 2-1-1 can help match your needs to a local or regional agency.