Today is United Way 2-1-1 Day

Today, Feb. 11, has been deemed by the United Way National 2-1-1 Day. 2-1-1 is a fast, free and confidential way for those in Missouri and Southwest Illinois to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Information is available on a broad range of services, including food banks, affordable housing, health resources, child care, after-school programs, elderly care, financial literacy and job training programs. If 2-1-1 does not work from your phone, call 1-800-427-4626. For more information, visit www.211helps.org.

Here are 11 things you should know about 2-1-1:

1. It's available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call on holidays, at midnight, during a snowstorm. Someone will always be there to take your call.
2. More than 165,000 people called last year.
3. You can get information about any health or human services need. 2-1-1 can provide referrals to agencies that help meet basic needs, but it goes beyond that. Need to find childcare near your home? Need to find an independent living center for an aging parent? Need counseling for your teenager? Want to volunteer? Dial 2-1-1.
4. You can search online. Don't want to call? No problem. Search the database on your own at www.211helps.org.
5. 2-1-1 is completely free.
6. 2-1-1 covers the state of Missouri, plus part of Illinois. It's available throughout the state of Missouri and to Illinois residents of St. Clair, Clinton, Randolph, Monroe, Madison, Jersey, Greene, Calhoun or Macoupin counties.
7. Cell coverage is available through the following carriers: Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T and Vonage.
8. There's an 800 number, too. 2-1-1 is available as a three-digit dial (like 911) from most phones. If 2-1-1 is not available, you can call 800-427-4626 and reach the same call center.
9. When you call, you'll get a trained representative. They'll direct you to resources to help, and keep your information completely confidential.
10. 2-1-1 is multilingual and has translation services available for callers.
11. 2-1-1 saves you, on average, from calling 14 different places before finding a needed service.