2-1-1 Debuts in Central Nebraska;

Congressman Osborne to make first call

With the support of four area United Ways and the Two Rivers Public Health Department, 2-1-1 debuts in seven counties of South Central Nebraska on February 11, providing an easy to remember telephone number that connects residents with important community services and volunteer opportunities.  Now, individuals and families seeking services or volunteer opportunities can make a free call to 2-1-1, a universally recognizable number that makes a critical connection between callers and the appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies.

The 2-1-1 service was formally launched on Friday, February 11, 2004 at 2 p.m. Congressman Tom Osborne made the official first call to 2-1-1. 

“The partnership between the area United Ways and Two Rivers Public Health Department focuses on the desire to make services more accessible to those in need,” said Terry Krohn, director of the Two Rivers Public Health Department.  “With 2-1-1, we’re breaking down the barriers between those who need help and those who can help them.”

“Recent disasters demonstrated more than ever how important it is for members of a community to know where to call for help or to volunteer in the wake of a disaster,” said Pat Munro, Executive Director of United Way of the Kearney Area.  “To aid in relief efforts or to help with the every day issues of people in need, the 2-1-1 system streamlines access to resources.  It makes it easier for those in need to find the right services for potential volunteers to get connected with organizations that need help.”

Cozad United Way, Gothenburg United Way, Lexington United Way and United Way of the Kearney Area joined together to form a partnership with Two Rivers Public Health Department to make 2-1-1 available to residents in Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps counties.  The 2-1-1 number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and offers multilingual access.  Through a two-year grant, Two Rivers Public Health Department provided the majority of the funding for the service.

About 2-1-1

Spearheaded by the United Way of America and the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems,
2-1-1 is an easy to remember telephone number that connects people with important community services and volunteer opportunities.  2-1-1 builds America’s capacity to strengthen the way people access help and engage in civic life.  Today, 2-1-1 reaches approximately 102 million Americans—about 35 percent of the population. 

The first 2-1-1 service was launched in metropolitan Atlanta in 1997.  On Friday, July 21, 2000, the FCC assigned 2-1-1 for community information and referral nationwide, making this scarce resource available for the sole purpose of community information and referral.   This service would make a critical connection between individuals and families in need and appropriate community based organizations and government agencies.  Help is now just a phone call away. 

While services that are offered through 2-1-1 vary from community to community, 2-1-1 provides callers with information about and referrals to human services for every day needs and in times of crisis.  For example 2-1-1 can offer access to the following types of services.