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Local 2-1-1 Call Center Celebrates Second Anniversary Of Becoming New York State's First 2-1-1 Program: National Media Event Commemorates 2-1-1 Day

February 12, 2007 — Two years and almost 45,000 telephone calls later, the 2-1-1 program in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region has become a vital community resource for people who need help but don’t know where to turn.

Annually on February 11th, “2-1-1 Day” is celebrated by 2-1-1 programs across the country. This year, in a very special event from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., “2-1-1 Day” will also feature a national call to action to highlight the introduction of legislation in both the United States Senate (S. 211) and House of Representatives (H.R. 211) – The Calling for 2-1-1 Act – designed to focus national attention on the need to develop and fund the three-digit dialing system that provides vital community, volunteer and human service information and referral.

For more details, please read the February 12, 2007 Press Release.

Senators Clinton and Dole to Discuss ‘The Calling for 2-1-1 Act’ – Legislation Designed To Establish a Federal Partnership to Give More Americans Access to 2-1-1 Services

February 09, 2007 — Capitol Hill event to highlight the introduction of legislation in both the Senate (S. 211) and the House of Representatives (H.R. 211) – The Calling for 2-1-1 Act – designed to focus national attention on the need to develop and fund a consistent three-digit dialing system
nationwide that provides community, volunteer and human service information and referral.

For more details, please read the February 09, 2007 Press Release.

New York State Funding Will Enhance Information and Referral Services Across New York State: Honorable Susan V. John Recognized for Support and Advocacy of 2-1-1 Initiative

September 28, 2006:  A New York State grant of $6.9 million included in the 2007-2008 state budget moves millions of New Yorkers one step closer to having their human service questions answered with the ease of dialing 2-1-1.

The new 2-1-1 service, which will be available across the state over the next three years, comes after a difficult budget process and years of behind the scenes work by United Way of New York State, local United Ways across the state, New York State Alliance of Information and Referral System, and many local partner agencies, including ABVI-Goodwill.  2-1-1 services are funded through a public-private partnership, which includes United Way, foundation, and local government funds in addition to the new state funding, which will play a critical role in 2-1-1 development and services.

For more details, please read the September 28, 2006 Press Release.

Local 2-1-1 Call Center Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Becoming New York State's First
2-1-1 Program

February 10, 2006:  One year ago, Senator Hillary Clinton and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter joined with local business and community leaders to announce that Rochester had become the first community to launch a 2-1-1 Call Center in New York State. Today, one year and more than 14,000 telephone calls later, 2-1-1 has become a vital community resource for people who need help but don’t know where to turn.

For more details, please read the February 10, 2006 Press Release.

Up-to-date Information on 2-1-1 availability in the Finger Lakes Region, NY

As of May 12, 2005, 2-1-1 services are available to customers of Frontier in the following areas:

Genesee County:  Bergen, Le Roy, Pavilion

Livingston County:  Avon, Caledonia, Dansville, Geneseo, Hemlock, Leicester, Lima, Livonia, Mt. Morris, Nunda, Springwater, York

Monroe County:  Brockport, Churchville, East Rochester, Fairport, Hamlin, Henrietta, Hilton, Honeoye Falls, N. Chili, Pittsford, Rochester, Rush, Scottsville, Spencerport, Webster, West Webster

Ontario County:  Bloomfield, Canandaigua, Honeoye, Naples, Shortsville, Stanley, Victor

Steuben County: Atlanta, Cohocton, Wayland

Yates County:  Rushville

Ontario Tel, Choice One, Paetec, Time Warner Cable, Time Warner Digital, and Time Warner Telecom have 2-1-1 services available to their customers, as well. 

The 2-1-1 Finger Lakes Collaborative is working with other telephone companies servicing the Finger Lakes Region, NY to activate 2-1-1 for their customers.

Please remember, you can access 2-1-1 services through the toll-free number 1-877-FLNY211 in those areas where the three digit phone number 2-1-1 has not been implemented yet.

Please check back frequently for updates to this list.

Senator Clinton and Congresswoman Slaughter Launch the first 2-1-1 Call Center in New York State

On January 18, 2005, Rochester once again demonstrated its pioneering spirit by launching the first 2-1-1 Call Center in New York, breaking the ground for implementation of 2-1-1 services across the state. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY28) joined with LIFE LINE, a Program of DePaul and the United Way of Greater Rochester to formally announce the beginning of 2-1-1 services in New York.

In February of this year, Senator Clinton and Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) introduced, in the 109th Congress, S. 211, The Calling for 2-1-1 Act Legislation. They had first introduced this bill in the 108th Congress.  This easy to remember, three digit phone number would serve as a single point of access to human services information and referral across the nation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

2-1-1 provides an easy, efficient means of connecting individuals to information about services in the community by offering referrals to programs that would best meet the individual's needs. 2-1-1 assists both persons wanting help and persons wishing to give help. Before the advent of 2-1-1, someone requiring assistance or wishing to give assistance could spend countless hours on the phone or in person, gathering information in hopes that they would ultimately find the services needed. 2-1-1 ends this time and energy-consuming search by providing a simple three-digit number for you to call when you need answers.

For additional information, please see Senator Clinton introduces "Calling for 2-1-1" Act and this UW Press Release.