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211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE
24 hours a day, every day of the year, the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE is here.
Connect with 211
We know many of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet. If you need help with food, housing, or utility assistance, call 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905 or visit 211texas.org to connect with a caring information and referral specialist today. You’re not alone, help is here!
• Select 1 to speak to a local information and referral specialist about resources in your community
• Select 2 for public benefits assistance (SNAP Food Benefits, Medicaid, CHIP, TANF)
• Select 5 for mental health or substance abuse assistance
You can also search for current food distribution sites at: www.houstonfoodbank.org/find-help/find-food
changes, we encourage you to help if you can:
• Volunteer
• Food Donations
• Monetary Donations
Together, we are working to ensure our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet land on their feet—and stay there. Thank you for standing with us.
A free, confidential helpline operated by United Way of Greater Houston, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE connected more than 1.3 million of our neighbors with help in 2024. Top calls were for utility assistance, rent and mortgage assistance, housing, public benefits assistance, and food assistance.
Whether you need help finding child care, food stamps, care for an aging parent, or a haven from domestic violence, 211 is the number to call when you don’t know who to call. Our trained HELPLINE specialists are good listeners, blending understanding and expertise to provide information and referrals drawn from a comprehensive database of social services.
With dedicated United Way THRIVE and veterans specialists on staff, 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE connects families and veterans with resources to meet their unique needs. 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE is also the information resource before, during, and after natural disasters, connecting people in need with up-to-the-minute information and critical services.
Explore Explore 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE data using the dashboard below. For a larger dashboard, or if you have trouble seeing the image below, click here.
Explore Live 211 Data
If you or someone you know needs help, dial 211.
Additional 211 Data Dashboards
Disaster Data Dashboard
The 211 Disaster Data Dashboard provides real-time emergency insights, tracks community needs, and helps allocate resources for faster response and recovery.
Food Insecurity Data Dashboard
The 211 Food Insecurity Data Dashboard tracks regional food assistance needs and trends, helping providers anticipate demand and support vulnerable populations following SNAP changes.
Legislative Data Dashboard
The 211 Legislative Data Dashboard uses 211 data to inform lawmakers about community needs, track trends in housing and healthcare, and evaluate the impact of policy decisions.
Impact of 211 in 2025:
1.2 million
people connected with help in 2025
225,023
people connected with utility assistance
177,557
people connected with rent or mortgage assistance
107,442
people connected with food programs and services
94,030
people connected with housing services
70,237
people connected with medical care/services