OKEECHOBEE — 211 HelpLine serving residents of Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast is excited to announce the completed installation of a community phone located within the United Way House at 208 N. Parrott Ave.

This free phone is accessible to all Okeechobee residents during the United Way’s regular scheduled business hours, and is to be used as a local resource allowing residents to call 211 HelpLine in times of crisis. Multilingual live representatives are available 24 hours a day to provide crisis counseling and referral to community based resources where appropriate.

The hope is with the installation of this community phone, no one should have to suffer in silence unable to access the critical help needed during difficult times. Anyone is welcome to visit the United Way House and utilize the phone to dial 2-1-1.

As a national nonprofit organization, 211 HelpLine locally is celebrating its 50th anniversary serving individuals in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. 211 is a confidential, non-judgmental helpline available 24/7 to individuals who don’t know where to turn in their time of need. 211 is essentially the “gateway” to all other health, human service, and governmental organizations in the community and can be accessed by simply dialing 2-1-1.

Highly trained staff assist individuals with crisis intervention, suicide prevention, information, assessment and referral to community services. 211 HelpLine connects people to services everyday by understanding their individual emotional, financial, and community needs and to support the health & human service system as a whole. People dial 2-1-1 for many reasons. Calls received by 211 HelpLine include single parents trying to make it on their own; parents struggling with out-of-control kids; adult children concerned about their aging parents; and elderly adults trying to retain their independence. Other callers are the financially disadvantaged of all ages who are on the verge of losing their homes, being evicted or having their electricity or water shut off. Callers also include depressed individuals trying to keep their lives together; young children alone or afraid; and teens struggling with adolescence. They are also teachers, social workers, judges, nurses and other social service professionals working to meet the complex needs of their clients.

In Okeechobee alone, 211 HelpLine received over 1,000 requests for help in 2020, with 13 of those requests related to suicide. Mental health and addiction services makes up 17% of the requests for help we receive from Okeechobee County, alongside utility, housing, healthcare, and food assistance. As the need is so great in the communities we serve, access to a free, easy-to-use system to navigate available resources is paramount. As such, 211 HelpLine prides itself on being a vital access point for individuals facing the darkest and most difficult times in their lives. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed and in emotional crisis, or is having thoughts of suicide - please reach out to one of our caring specialists that are available via phone call, chat, or text all hours of the day or night. Simply dial 2-1-1, text your zip code to 898211, or chat online at www.211TreasureCoast.org.