Helpline Center Celebrates 211 Day on February 11
Helpline Center Celebrates 211 Day on February 11
The 211 Helpline is a free and confidential service that helps people find the local resources they need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On Wednesday, February 11, the Helpline Center invites all South Dakotans to join in recognition of 211 Day and celebrate this important and valuable resource.
Nationally, 211 is accessible to nearly 99 percent of the country's population. In South Dakota, the Helpline Center launched its 211 Helpline in 2001 and celebrated a major milestone in 2020 when 211 went statewide in South Dakota.
Last year, the compassionate and professionally trained 211 staff responded to nearly 60,000 calls, emails, and texts from every county in the state.
“211 is an incredible resource serving every resident of South Dakota,” said Janet Kittams, chief executive officer of the Helpline Center. “The Helpline Center is proud to have trained staff available 24/7 to answer any question about resources or finding support in local communities across our state.”
In 2025, there were over 100,000 needs identified through those communications within the agency’s call center. Some of the more common requests were related to housing, food, clothing, transportation, and utility assistance. More specifically, 211 is utilized often to make referrals for rent payment assistance, food pantry locations, and transportation programs.
Visit www.helplinecenter.org/2-1-1/data to view the 211 data dashboard, where statistics on requests are broken down per county throughout South Dakota.
Guests can also create a free account on the Helpline Center’s website to save search results and commonly referenced categories. This valuable tool is found online under the 211 section and “My List”.
The Helpline Center is also proud to offer free printed promotional materials for any group, business, and organization across South Dakota. These materials remind residents of all ages and demographics that help is available no matter what their questions or needs may be.
