Frequently Asked Questions

What is 2-1-1?
What services are offered through 2-1-1?
Is 2-1-1 confidential?
Is it available 24 hours a day?
Is 2-1-1 available in my area?
How can I get my agency involved in 2-1-1?

What is UNITED WAY 2-1-1?
2-1-1 is an easy to remember phone number that connects individuals with resources in the Mobile, Washington and Clarke county communities with future service planned for Choctaw and Monroe Counties. With approximately 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States plus scores of government agencies, finding help can be confusing and intimidating. Our local United Way 2-1-1 center is staffed by trained specialists who quickly assess the callers’ needs and refer them to the help they seek. 2-1-1 is simple to remember and accessible to everyone.

What services are offered through 2-1-1?
While 2-1-1 varies from community to community, the gulf coast region United Way 2-1-1 provides callers with information about referrals to health and human services for every day needs and in times of crisis. 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.

Is 2-1-1 confidential?
Yes. Most times a callers name isn’t even asked.
All calls are handled confidentially. The Call Specialist will ask for a zip code to help locate the services closest to home or site of the person in need. The caller may be ask if they are willing to provide additional information for quality assurance follow-up but under no circumstance is a caller required to provide that additional information.

Is it available 24 hours a day?
Not yet. As United Way continues to seek additional funding, future plans will be made to offer 2-1-1 service 24/7. The state of Alabama is working to achieve the goal of 2-1-1 system availability statewide 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Is 2-1-1 available in my area?
2-1-1 is available in Mobile, Washington, and Clarke, with future service planned for Choctaw and Monroe Counties.

How can I get my agency involved in 2-1-1?
It’s easy to list your agency in the 2-1-1 database. Please visit the Get Involved pages for more information on getting your agency involved.