Health and Human Services for Long Islanders
United Way of Long Island has announced the launch of 2-1-1 Long Island, a health and human service telephone and Internet service for the Long Island region.
A partnership between United Way of Long Island and Middle Country Public Library, 2-1-1 Long Island is a free, non-emergency information and referral service that connects Long Island residents to health and human services they may need on a daily basis or during a disaster. Available by telephone and online at www.211longisland.org, 2-1-1 provides callers and web visitors with detailed information on nearly 10,000 community resources for help and assistance in myriad areas – from basic daily needs such as food, heat and shelter – to job training, financial services, child and/or elder care and more.
“2-1-1 is a great example of how United Ways in New York State are working together to provide concrete help to everyone,” says Theresa Regnante, president and CEO of United Way of Long Island. “This multi-lingual helpline referral system will connect Long Islanders on a daily basis to key information, from where to get basic needs met to how to help their children or other family members access critical community and governmental services on Long Island. With the launch of 2-1-1 Long Island, 93 percent of New York State’s population now has access to 2-1-1 services. We are grateful to Middle Country Library and their team for taking this journey with United Way to create a very real-time response for people to receive help.”
The 2-1-1 Call Center operates 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, and is reached by calling 2-1-1 or 1-888-774-7633. Multi-lingual services are available. Online, www.211longisland.org is available wherever Internet-ready computers are available, and is updated daily by Middle Country Public Library. The website will use the database formerly known as the Community Resource Database of Long Island (CRDLI), operated by Middle Country Public Library.
