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Expand 2-1-1 to All 50 States
  1. Signatures
    112 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. The U.S. Senate (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The U.S. Senate
      • The U.S. House of Representatives
  2. Created By
    Charlotte Hill
    Oakland, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

In 48 states across America, residents can pick up the phone and dial 2-1-1 to be connected with essential social services, from homeless shelters to suicide hotlines. 2-1-1 also links people to local volunteer opportunities, serving as a one-stop shop for community improvement and engagement.

The FCC has registered the 2-1-1 code for national use. Why, then, is it only reaching 80% of the population? Just half of the states in the country offer complete coverage to all their residents and two entire states lack a 2-1-1 hotline altogether. (See this map of 2-1-1 coverage across the U.S. for more details.) One word: funding.

Tell your Senators and Representatives to co-sponsor the Calling for 2-1-1 Act, which would provide those states in the process of starting or enhancing their own 2-1-1 systems with much-needed federal financial assistance.

Both S.211 and H.R.211 are stuck in committees, the graveyards of most pieces of legislation. By co-sponsoring the bills, your representatives in Congress will exponentially increase the likelihood that the Calling for 2-1-1 Act is given a vote.

Everyone has access to 9-1-1 in times of emergency. Shouldn't they also have access to 2-1-1 in their times of need?

Tell your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the Calling for 2-1-1 Act now. To see if your Senators are already co-sponsors, click here; to check on your Representative, go here. Even if they're already sponsors, remind them that this issue is vital to their constituents.

Recent Signatures

Please Expand 2-1-1 Coverage To All Americans

Dear Member of Congress,

The federally reserved 2-1-1 code is an incredibly useful resource for impoverished Americans, serving as a centralized location for information on essential social services like homeless shelters, food pantries, rental assistance organizations, health care centers, and job training and education programs. 48 out of 50 states offer the 2-1-1 hotline to part, if not all, of their residents, but 20% of Americans still have no access to this vital resource.

Please become a co-sponsor of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act (S.211 and H.R.211) to provide federal funding to states starting or enhancing their own 2-1-1 systems.

Establishing and maintaining a call center is time-consuming and costly, but its payoffs are immense. Not only do 2-1-1 hotlines provide information on local social services, but they also connect civic-minded individuals with volunteer opportunities. If we hope to bridge the socioeconomic gaps throughout our country, we must start by offering all Americans easy access to information on improving their daily circumstances and helping others do the same.

In addition to awarding grants to states interested in starting or improving their 2-1-1 systems, the Calling for 2-1-1 Act requires that states match all federal funding with money from other sources and ensures that all grant recipients cooperate and collaborate with local human service organizations. The bill serves as a crucial step in providing comprehensive information on social services to those who need it most.

More than ever, Americans need access to the essential information that 2-1-1 provides. Please become a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation.

To co-sponsor, contact Kathryn Young at 4-2621 or kathryn_young@murray.senate.gov.

[Your name]

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