Press Release from United Way of West Florida - From Hello To Help, 211 Is Here For You

 
                                                                                                                                     
            FROM HELLO TO HELP, 211 IS HERE FOR YOU!
 
Pensacola, Fla. – February 1, 2024
 
February 11 marks 211 Day, and this year, 2024, marks 211 Northwest Florida’s 20^th anniversary! 
 
Since 2004, 211 Northwest Florida, formerly First Call for Help, has helped Northwest Florida residents connect to essential resources in their communities by dialing 211, texting their zip code to 898211, or visiting 211nwfl.org. From calls and texts, 211 Northwest Florida specialists have been able to connect individuals in Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington counties in Florida, to agencies and programs local to them! 
 
Last year, 211 Northwest Florida answered 37,138 calls and connected 65,622 individuals to local resources! The top 4 requests for resources were food, rent, utility, and healthcare. 211NWFL received 14,146 requests for food assistance, 28,280 for rent assistance, 23,978 for utility assistance, and 10,429 for healthcare resources. 
 
“211 is the heartbeat of our community, connecting individuals with vital resources and services, fostering a stronger, more resilient society for all”, remarked VP of Impact Services, Mary Zaledonis. “As we embark on our 20th-year milestone, 211 continues to stand as a beacon of hope, evolving with perseverance to empower our community, making a lasting impact for two decades and counting.
 
To learn more about the 211 Northwest Florida program and ways it can help, visit 211nwfl.org or contact Mary Zaledonis, VP of Impact Services at mary.zaledonis@uwwf.org. If you are seeking assistance, you can call 211 or text your zip code to 898211 to speak to a specialist directly about accessing public and private resources.
 
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For media or press inquiries, email Stephen.prestesater@uwwf.org.To stay informed about what’s happening with United Way of West Florida, sign up for our newsletter at www.uwwf.org/signup, or follow us on social media @UWWFL.
 
What is 211 Northwest Florida: 
 
211 Northwest Florida is a program of the United Way of West Florida and United Way of Northwest Florida with support from the United Way of Emerald Coast. 211 Northwest Florida is an information and referral service that provides one-stop connections to community resources and services when you need them most. 211 maintains up-to-date information on emergency food and shelter resources; services for families and seniors; connections to healthcare, childcare, and disability services; counseling and mental health services; and so much more.
 
 
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Stephen Prestesater
Vice President of Philanthropy and Communications
United Way of West Florida 
(850) 444-7042 - office
(850) 295-0724 - mobile
7100 Plantation Road, Suite 18
Pensacola, FL 32504 
uwwf.org
 

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