211: Get help. get connected.
A free, confidential resource for rhode islanders
why call?
211 can connect you with housing, food, affordable childcare, and much more.
- 211 is a free, confidential service.
- Your call is answered by a trained professional.
- One call connects you with the appropriate resources you need in your community.
- It is efficient, fast and easy to use.
- No more wrong numbers or wasted time trying to find the right resource.
- It is always there for you—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- Translation services available in many languages.
Police, fire or medical emergency? Call 911.
SEARCH IN Not sure whether to call? These are just some of the ways we can help...
- Afterschool programs
- Childcare
- Pantries
- Soup kitchens
- Delivery if you’re homebound
- Alcohol and drug addiction treatment (See opioid addiction recovery information)
- COVID-19 testing
- Depression counseling
- Gambling addiction treatment (Wonder if your gambling is an addiction? Try our screening tools)
- Health insurance
- Avoiding eviction
- Place to stay tonight
- Rent/mortgage assistance
- Electric, gas, heat payments (Learn more about the Good Neighbor Energy Fund)
- Program information
- Free or sliding scale legal assistance
- General legal services
- Free tax preparation (Learn more about Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
- Ride options
- Transit information
- Comprehensive veteran assistance
- Medical assistance
- Cyber bullying
- Domestic violence
- Identity theft (Learn more about cybercrime)
All this and much more for adults over 55 or with disabilities via Point. Point is the state's healthy aging helpdesk. Learn more about Point.
United Way 211 in Rhode Island is supported by Citizens.
Cybercrime and online fraud can happen to anyone; it's important to know where to turn if it happens to you. That's why United Way 211 in Rhode Island partnered with the Cybercrime Support Network. If you've been a victim of cybercrime, call 211 now.
United Way of Rhode Island and CVS Health Foundation are working together to help those impacted by the opioid crisis. Our goal is to connect Rhode Islanders with treatment resources, increase addiction awareness, and find options that work.
The Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS) is a 3-item survey designed to help people evaluate their need for a formal gambling behavior evaluation. The BBGS is based on the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling.
IN THE NEWS
15 Features Nonprofit Websites Should Have
Forbes Nonprofit Council
"With so many interactions taking place online, a solid website is a must-have for nonprofit organizations... To help you create a stand-out web presence, a panel of Forbes Nonprofit Council members, including United Way of Rhode Island's president and CEO Cortney Nicolato, share some features nonprofit websites must include to appeal to current and prospective members or supporters.”
401Gives helped local nonprofit stay open
WPRI 12
"401Gives... is held on April 1… This year, 401Gives is especially important since 2020 was a double hit for local nonprofits… with the pandemic collapsing their traditional fundraising opportunities, and… the need for their services increased. 'If we hadn't had 401Gives, we probably would not have made it through the year,' [Karen Dalton, founder of Dare to Dream Ranch] recalled."
401Gives hopes to raise $1.5M on April 1
Providence Business News
"The community will have another opportunity April 1 to offer their favorite nonprofits support. The second annual 401Gives... online campaign will go live that day... [Donors] can visit 401gives.org and send their donations to various charities and causes... Along with fundraising, United Way is also offering nonprofits digital training and networking opportunities to help the organizations benefit highly from... 401Gives."
UPCOMING EVENTS
Community Learning Partners Series
Join Women United from 12 – 1 p.m. for the next event in our Community Learning Partners Series, featuring New Urban Arts and Movement Education Outdoors. You'll hear how these organizations' afterschool programs are fostering creativity, problem-solving, and a growth mindset in amazing spaces.
Strength in Storytelling: “All American Boys”
Join Women United from 6 – 7 p.m. for a virtual discussion about the award-winning novel “All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. This discussion will be hosted by Women United member Kristin Cassarino, an instructor at Providence College and William M. Davies, Jr. Career and Technical High School, and Dr. Adama Brown, United Way of Rhode Island's director of research and data analytics.
2021 Children’s Book Drive, a Community First Conversation
Join us from noon– 12:30 p.m. for our Community First Conversation about our 2021 Children's Book Drive. Our hosts are Women United's chair Peggy Lamb and executive member Nancy Serpa. They will be joined by Jocelynn White, executive director at Books Are Wings, and Lori DiMatteo, volunteer coordinator at United Way of Rhode Island.
2021 Children’s Book Drive
From May 1 – 31, United Way of Rhode Island, Women United, and Books Are Wings are collecting gently-used and new books for our 2021 Children's Book Drive. You can run a book drive at your school or workplace, or with your friends and family. Books may be dropped off at Cardi's Furniture & Mattresses locations in West Warwick, RI, South Attleboro, MA, and Swansea, MA. For more information on drop-off locations or running a book drive, contact bookdrive@unitedwayri.org.