2-1-1 Helpline Connects Cook County Residents to Social Services

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It is spring 2020. After weeks of lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a single mom is let go from her job in the hospitality industry. Already following a strict budget, she is worried about how she will pay for food, utilities, and rent. She seeks out support from a community center in her neighborhood and is given a flyer with more than 60 phone numbers to call for various resources. In a time of great need, she is even more overwhelmed and at a loss of where to begin.

This story is all too common, from the height of the pandemic to the present day. Far too often, people don’t know where to turn for help. Which is why 211 Metro Chicago is such a crucial resource.

Now, instead of a flyer with more than 60 phone numbers and resources, there is one simple number to call for help: 2-1-1.

The City of Chicago, Cook County, and United Way of Metro Chicago have launched 211 Metro Chicago, a free, 24/7 resource connecting Cook County residents in need of assistance with essential health and social services support.

When an individual contacts 2-1-1—whether via phone, text, or web chat—compassionate, local Resource Navigators assess their needs and then connect them to non-emergency providers for support. These Resource Navigators are trained staff who are available 24/7 to provide Cook County residents with assistance.

“We have seen great success with 2-1-1 lines across North America, which have connected millions of people in need to local organizations that can help,” said United Way of Metro Chicago President and CEO Sean Garrett. “With Chicago and Cook County now part of the 2-1-1 network, all Cook County residents are just one text, chat, or phone call away from an expansive database of incredible social services. We are thrilled to be a part of bringing this critical connection to the greater metro Chicago area.”

Similar helplines available across Illinois have fielded more than 98,000 requests for services since their inception. 2-1-1 can help residents connect with a variety of resources such as food, housing, utility payment assistance, and other free to low-cost health and social services.

“For too long the burden of navigating the ecosystem of service providers has been placed on our residents,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “In partnership with Cook County and United Way of Metro Chicago, I am thrilled to announce 2-1-1, which will serve as a one-stop resource to meet residents where they are and ensure they are connected to the essential health and social services they need.”

2-1-1 does not replace vital helplines like 9-1-1, which individuals should continue to call for emergencies. Requests for City infrastructure services and other non-emergency safety-related requests should go to 3-1-1, or the city or village office if 3-1-1 is not available in your community. Individuals experiencing a crisis related to mental health or emotional wellbeing should call 9-8-8 for immediate phone support.

“With 2-1-1 we are providing to our Cook County region a free and truly critical service that’s long overdue for our residents,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “Cook County will now be connected to non-emergency providers for support services, and I am proud our partnership with United Way and the City of Chicago is helping bring this necessary resource to life.”

211 Metro Chicago is operated by United Way of Metro Chicago and launched with support from the City of Chicago, Cook County, philanthropic partners, and the 211 Metro Chicago Advisory Committee composed of business, civic, charitable, and social service organizations. United Way of Metro Chicago mobilizes private, philanthropic, and public sector support to help individuals meet their basic needs and works to support equitable transformation in neighborhoods across the Chicago region. The 211 Metro Chicago Advisory Committee member organizations have worked in partnership since 2021 to ensure 211 Metro Chicago effectively meets the needs of all Cook County residents:

• ATT
• Austin Coming Together
• Bright Star Community Outreach
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
• Chicago Community Trust
• Chicago Department of Family & Support Services
• Chicago Department of Public Health
• Chicago Urban League
• City of Chicago, Office of the Mayor
• Cook County, Office of Economic Development
• Enlace Chicago
• Friend Health
• Greater Chicago Food Depository
• Heartland Alliance
• NAMI Chicago
• Peoples Gas
• Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation
• United Way of Metro Chicago

211 Metro Chicago has also partnered with Unite Us, a software company enabling cross-sector collaboration, to create a robust resource database of health and social services across Cook County. Through this partnership and the existing relationships Unite Us has with local organizations, 211 Metro Chicago has a solid foundation of health and social service resources to which local Resource Navigators can connect residents in need of support.

Dial 2-1-1 to speak with a local Resource Navigator on the phone. To connect with 211 Metro Chicago via text message, text your zip code to 898211. Visit 211MetroChicago.org to connect with resources via web chat and database search. Live Resource Navigators are available via phone, text, and web chat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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