211 Resource & Referral Hotline

Many people in our community struggle when trying to navigate and make connections to the services they need. United Way 2-1-1 is a free health and human service information and referral resource. You can also look at the 2-1-1 Counts and see what the trends are for your specific area. Click here to see more information.

Individuals can call 2-1-1, 1-866-813-1731 or search our website database for a variety of resources including food, clothing, shelter, information about the Affordable Care Act, free medical clinics, employment supports, energy assistance, and much more.
If you would like to see if your agency/organization information could be placed on the 2-1-1 site and used for referrals, please click here to check out the inclusion/exclusion policy, add a new agency, or update your agency info!

NEW- 2-1-1 Texting and 2-1-1 App! Simply text your zip code to 898211 or download the 211 Iowa app to get connected today!

Who We Help

Individuals, families, and the greater community all benefit from United Way 2-1-1. Those who call 2-1-1 work with trained and certified Information and Referral Specialists who assist individuals and families in finding possible resources to meet their needs. Information about where people call from (i.e., zip code), what they call about, and gaps in services are then shared to assist with community planning.

  • Basic Human Needs Resources – including food and clothing banks, shelters, rent assistance, and utility assistance.
  • Physical and Mental Health Resources – including health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health resources, health insurance programs for children, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, and drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation.
  • Work Support – including financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance, and education programs.
  • Support for Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities – including adult daycare, community meals, respite care, home health care, transportation, and homemaker services.
  • Children, Youth, and Family Support – including childcare, after-school programs, educational programs for low-income families, family resource centers, summer camps, and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, and protective services.
  • Emergency Suicide Prevention – referral to suicide prevention help organizations. Callers can also dial the following National Suicide Prevention Hotline numbers operated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services:
  • 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
  • 1-888-SUICIDE (1-888-784-2433)
  • 1-877-SUICIDA (1-877-784-2432) (Spanish)