In 2025, the 211 network handled more than 13 million requests and delivered 19 million referrals to local services, including housing, utilities, food assistance, veterans’ services, disaster response, workforce development, mental health care, and caregiver support.

Despite 211’s broad reach and demonstrated effectiveness, the system is under-resourced and unevenly supported across states.

Ask Congress to support the HELP Act, ensuring 211 can continue providing accurate referrals to essential services. 
 

Support 211

For more than 25 years federal funding has supported 10,000-plus 21st Century Community Learning Centers, providing before-school, afterschool, and summer learning programs in every state. Demand far exceeds supply for these crucial programs that serve more than 1.4 million students, helping them improve grades, test scores and attendance.

Ask Congress to fully fund student afterschool and summer programs.

Support Students 

For the last three decades, AmeriCorps members have responded to our country’s most immediate and critical needs. They are the “people power” that local nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations rely on to deliver services and make a difference in local communities.

AmeriCorps members gain in-demand job skills and complete their service with increased employability and pathways to higher education, preparing a cohort of Americans to succeed in the workforce.

Ask your member of Congress to fully fund AmeriCorps, ensuring the program can continue providing vital services and workforce training.

Support Americorps  

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) provides federal funding to states for child care subsidies for low-income families with children under the age of 13.

Head Start and Early Head Start are federal programs that provide comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent engagement services to children from low-income families.

Decades of research show that these programs improve school readiness, strengthen families, and support local communities – particularly in rural areas where Head Start may be the only child care option.

Urge Congress to preserve or increase funding for these essential programs.
 

Support child care and early learning

EFSP is a federally funded program that plays a major role in combating hunger and homelessness by providing financial assistance to organizations serving people who struggle to afford food and shelter, as well as those at risk due to economic hardships.

Since its inception, EFSP has distributed $6.6 billion to over 14,000 human services agencies in more than 2,500 communities across the country.

Urge Congress to fully fund EFSP so local organizations can support those struggling with hunger and homelessness.

 Support funding for food and shelter  

The Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) program awards grants to school districts, community-based partnerships, and state education agencies to transform schools into hubs of opportunity and support. Today, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Community Schools serve rural, suburban, and urban communities nationwide.

Ask Congress to maintain or expand funding for community schools.

Support schools  

A record number of Americans are experiencing homelessness. Housing assistance referrals through 211, the 24-7 link to local resources, continue to increase, nearly doubling since pre-COVID. 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing assistance programs help families pay rent and connect people experiencing homelessness to housing and services for long-term stability. Homeless Assistance Grants provide the backbone of local homelessness response systems by funding the Continuum of Care and Emergency Solutions Grants programs.

Urge Congress to continue funding for HUD’s rental and homelessness programs. 

Support housing assistance  

One out of six families is behind on their home energy bills, owing a total of $21 billion, up 30 percent since 2023.

Created in the late 1970s in response to rising energy prices and declining purchasing power among low‑income households, LIHEAP provides federal block grant funding to states to help eligible families cover essential heating and cooling expenses.

Urge Congress to fully fund LIHEAP to help Americans struggling with energy costs.

Support LIHEAP  

SNAP is the nation’s largest nutrition program, providing timely, targeted, and temporary support to low-income households to purchase food.

In Congress, legislation has been introduced that would shift funding SNAP program funding to states, requiring states with high error rates to pay a share of SNAP benefits and all states to cover 75 percent of administrative costs.

Ask Congress to delay SNAP cost-share requirements and maintain full federal funding for SNAP.

Support SNAP 

For more than 50 years, the VITA program has provided free tax preparation to low and moderate-income households. The success of VITA, which includes United Way’s My Free Taxes, is unmatched.

Through VITA, thousands of IRS-certified volunteers help taxpayers claim and keep the critical tax credits they have earned and are eligible for, including the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). 

Urge Congress to support and strengthen the VITA program. 

Support VITA 

Enacted with bipartisan support in 2014, WIOA authorizes federal employment, workforce, and training programs and formula funding to states and local governments. WIOA helps communities tackle and overcome challenges facing job seekers and employers.

Ask Congress to increase or maintain enacted federal funding levels for WIOA programs.

Support WIOA funding