U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo and United Way gathered business and community leaders at a rally today at a UPS facility in Sunnyvale to urge Congress to approve the Calling for 211 Act (H.R.211/S.211), which will expand the 211 information and referral service to all Americans.  The bill will support expansion of 211 to the entire state of California, where service is now available in 26 of 58 counties.

Congress is heading toward the end of its 2010 session, and if the bill does not pass before this session ends, it will expire, and the country will lose its most significant opportunity to date to expand 211 coverage.  The bill already has 243 bi-partisan co-sponsors in the House and 61 in the Senate, more than enough to secure approval.

“211 helps connect millions of Americans every year with an array of essential programs, from health services to housing assistance.  Almost 10 years after it was designated, the 211 number only reaches two-thirds of the U.S. population and includes less than half the counties in California.  I’ve authored the Calling For 211 Act to expand this critical service to all Americans and ensure it continues to provide a valuable lifeline for decades to come,” Rep. Eshoo said.

Anne Wilson, CEO of United Way of the Bay Area, which operates 211 in five Bay Area counties, said, “211 is serving as a life line for struggling families during these tough times. All people, everywhere, need to be able to dial 211 – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – to get the help they need in the event of a personal crisis or a disaster. This can only happen if H.R.211 passes this year. Without federal funding, expanding our 211 call centers to adequately serve growing needs will be a significant challenge.”

Read the press release about today’s 211 rally.

Take action to support 211 today: visit www.liveunited.org/211, where you can quickly identify your Congressional representatives and send an email to urge them to bring H.R.211 to a vote.