FORT SMITH, Ark — Although Feb. 11, 2024, will be all about Super Bowl Sunday nationwide, folks in Arkansas can also take part in United Way's National 211 Day.
Since 2019, both the United Way Fort Smith Area and the United Way of Northwest Arkansas have taken thousands of calls to 211.
"When someone calls into 211 for help, and it could be for all kinds of things, we have resources in our database that we can assist them with and get them the help that they need," Shea Foldvary, United Way Fort Smith Area's executive director, said.
For those who do call, the goal is to connect them with critical, local resources, including food, shelter, rental assistance, childcare, and more.
"With us being United Way, we really do connect people to resources in the community," Foldvary said. "So having a tool like 211 really gives individuals that opportunity ... if they have a non-emergent need food, housing, whatever it might be, it's a simple dial of 211 and they get connected to a live resource. It's in their community."
Jackie Hancock, United Way of NWA's executive director, said another positive thing about 211 is that all the resources are current.
"In our database, everything is current, everything works," Hancock said. "We know when we're referring someone to one of these resources that that organization is open, they are actively helping people ... The last thing you want to do is refer somebody to a resource, and that place is closed, you know, a year ago, so we're constantly updating and tweaking and making sure that the resources that we have in the database are active and responding."
Foldvary said when you call 211, you will not be calling into an automated system.
"You get a live individual that can really have a conversation with you to, again, connect you to those resources within our community," he said.
The 211 system is staffed 24/7 and has a database of more than 19,000 resources to help you find the right services.
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