211 – Calgary’s Information and Referral Line
211 is the number designated for information and referral to all community, government, social, and
non-profit services in Canada. In 2005, Calgary became the third city in Canada to have an operational 211 service.
In Calgary, 211 is a partnership between the United Way of Calgary and Area, the City of Calgary, and the Distress Centre.
It is staffed by trained professionals who can assess the needs of callers and help them find appropriate services and
resources to assist with their needs. The database utilized by 211 includes over 4000 programs and services.
Some examples of calls to 211:
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A son seeking transportation for his aging parents
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A laid-off employee looking for information about employment insurance
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A teenager dealing with social issues
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A family searching for child-care services
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A mother looking for low-cost recreation programs
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Someone looking to donate clothing or furniture
211 responds to these types of questions and more every day.
Some links of interest:
All Distress Centre services are free of charge to the public. Donations are gratefully accepted.