Lake County 211 system has fielded 125,000 requests for help since inception

Lake County's 211 information and referral hotline has served more than 125,000 combined calls, texts and online requests for help since its inception, officials said Friday.

The top need has been housing and shelter, with people seeking help to pay their rent. Others sought help getting access to food, health care, mental health services and addiction recovery resources, officials said.

The free, multilingual, confidential 24-hour service was launched in September of 2019 by United Way of Lake County in partnership with county government and community contributors. It's a one-stop resource that connects those in need to people who can help.

In recognition of the service, the Lake County Board on Tuesday proclaimed today as "211 Day" in Lake County.

"211 Day is a wonderful opportunity to continue to raise awareness of this vital service to improve and save lives here in Lake County," said Kristi Long, president and CEO of United Way of Lake County.

Residents can call 211 or text their ZIP code to 898211 at any time. The system's navigators are trained to listen, identify underlying issues and connect people to available resources.