United Way of Greater Kansas City is proud to operate 211, our region’s 24/7 resource and referral line. In 2025, our 211 Community Resource Specialists (CRSs) continued to respond to a high volume of contacts with 347,839 (combination of phone calls and unique visits to 211KC.org)
Calls to 211 and online inquiries via 211KC.org are free and confidential. Specialists listen closely to uncover needs and identify help, utilizing a database of more than 7,000 community resources. Service is available in 150 languages.
The top five needs identified by callers and online inquiries in 2025 were:
- Utility Assistance
- Housing & Shelter
- Tax Preparation
- Transportation
- Legal Assistance
Nationally, 211 was designated as a three-digit number for health and human services in 2000. Locally, 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of 211 services operated by United Way in Kansas City. In that time, 211 has responded to a total of more than 2.2 million calls from our community.
February 11th (2-11) is recognized as 211 Day in honor of the vital services provided by 211 networks around the nation.
“211 is often the front-door for people seeking help during challenging situations,” said Todd Jordan, Ph.D., United Way Vice President of Community Impact and 211 Executive Director. “The work our community resource specialists do every day plays an instrumental role in connecting our community to programs and services while driving United Way’s mission forward as an ecosystem coordinator. By reducing barriers, creating partnerships and innovating to meet community needs, 211 makes Kansas City a place where all can thrive.”