Health
For 2 Years, 211 Helpline Has Connected Cook County Residents to Social Services
Video: Joining “Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices” are Richard LaPratt, executive director of 211 Metro Chicago, and Jackie Rosa, vice president of strategic initiatives for United Way of Metro Chicago. (Produced by Emily Soto)
The 211 Metro Chicago helpline has helped connect residents to social services more than 320,000 times since it was launched two years ago, program leaders said Tuesday.
“211 is a bridge that ensures people facing difficult circumstances do not have to navigate the system alone,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said during a news conference, which was held on National 211 Day.
Since its launch, 211 Metro Chicago expanded services by assuming operations of several homelessness services helplines for Chicago and suburban Cook County. The helpline has also partnered with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the American Red Cross to better connect residents to food pantries and disaster relief resources, respectively.
The helpline is seeing 19,000 to 22,000 contacts per month and continues to grow, according to 211 Metro Chicago Executive Director Richard LaPratt. When the helpline launched in 2023, it was handling between 5,000 to 7,000 contacts per month, LaPratt said.
Housing and shelter, utility assistance, access to food and employment and income assistance were the most common needs for residents, according to 211 Metro Chicago program leaders.
The top three Chicago neighborhoods served by the helpline were Auburn Gresham, Chatham and South Shore. The top three suburban Cook County community areas served were Chicago Heights/Ford Heights, Calumet City and the Phoenix/Harvey area.
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller (6th District), who represents south and southwest suburban residents, said the helpline service was greatly needed in her district.
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller (6th District) speaks at a news conference celebrating the second anniversary of the 211 helpline on Feb. 11, 2025. (Courtesy of United Way of Metro Chicago)
“I’m particularly fond and grateful of this service because the suburbs that I represent are often confronted with the same needs as the city of Chicago, but without the same resources,” Miller said. “I’m happy to see that many are taking advantage of it.”
211 is a free 24/7 helpline that serves as an information and referral resource that helps connect residents to critical needs such as housing, utilities assistance, food and more.
The helpline is operated by United Way of Metro Chicago in partnership with Chicago and Cook County. Residents can contact a resource navigator via call, text, email and online chat in multiple languages, including Spanish and Arabic.
Brian Lewis has been a resource navigator with 211 Metro Chicago since November 2023. Lewis is one of about 40 staff members who field calls from residents.
“People call every day for help,” Lewis said Tuesday. “You might not know how hard it is for them to have made that call, which is why it’s so important as a resource navigator to be present, attentive, compassionate and say things like, ‘I hear you.’”
In one instance, Lewis described searching through 211’s database of more than 6,000 programs and agencies to help a senior couple in need of a new mattress. Part of the process of connecting residents to resources is following up with them afterward, Lewis said.
“A few weeks later, the couple received a follow-up call,” Lewis said. “The couple told us that they received a new mattress. … This story might seem like a small example of success, but I was thrilled so much, and it was so much more than a mattress.”
Note: This article was published Feb. 11, 2025, and updated with video Feb. 13, 2025.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]
