United Way’s 211 Brings New Resources to Rhode Island Caregivers – Herb Weiss

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues

According to AARP Rhode Island, over 200,000 caregivers provide 111 million hours of care, and will have easier access to critical support through the expansion of the Caregiver Support Program offered via United Way’s 211 – the 24/7 confidential 3-digit helpline.  There is no charge for accessing the program.

Over two weeks ago, AARP and United Way Worldwide announced the program’s expansion into 10 additional states — Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Rhode Island — along with regional support in California and Colorado.

Expansion into an additional 211 call centers brings the program to 32 states and Puerto Rico, now reaching 50% of the total U.S.population, making this resource accessible to an estimated 36 million family caregivers, says AARP.

AARP notes that the existing participating states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, with regional service in parts of Florida, Georgia, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. The program is also offered in Puerto Rico. With this expansion, the program is currently available within 32 states and Puerto Rico.

Launched in 2021, this groundbreaking resource initiative connects family caregivers to essential services for themselves and their loved ones through the 211 helpline and has already helped 2.5 million caregivers access the resources and support they need.

“Being a family caregiver is a labor of love – but it can also be a tremendous challenge,” sand Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer, in a statement announcing the expansion of the 211 program. “Through this expansion of 211, we’re making it easier for family caregivers to find the help they need, when and where they need it,” she said.

In a statement, AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor said: “Through this expansion of 211, we’re making it easier for Rhode Island’s 206,000 family caregivers to find the help they need, when and where they need it.”

“Caregiving is one of the most important and challenging roles someone will ever take on,” said Cortney Nicolato, president and CEO, United Way of RI. “When you’re a caregiver, there is real courage in picking up the phone and saying, ‘I need help.’ Half of the equation is asking, the other half is getting the right guidance. And that’s what this partnership is all about,” she said.

The confidential 211 helpline program is the answer: available 24/7, offered in 180 languages, and accessible to anyone seeking assistance, whether or not they are a caregiver. Often without pay, training, or support, 63 million caregivers who care for their loved ones (parents, spouses, and friends) need access to trusted help.

Through this specialized Caregiver Support Program, caregivers residing in the participating locations can simply dial 211 to connect with trained Community Resource Specialists and receive tailored AARP resources that cover a wide range of topics, along with direct connections to local services, including:

• Local referrals for transportation, food delivery, home safety, respite care, veterans’ benefits, and more
• Support to address the caregiver’s own basic needs, like housing, employment, or emotional support

By the Numbers

According to United Way of Rhode Island’s 2023–2024 Community Impact Report, released online in January 2025, the nonprofit’s 211 information and referral service handled more than 190,000 contacts (phone calls, emails, texts, and walk-in visits) during the reporting period, connecting Rhode Islanders with info on food assistance, housing, health care, utility assistance, mental health services, and other critical resources.

The report notes that the free, confidential service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with staff able to assist callers in more than 200 languages and dialects.  After business hours, 211 also answers calls for The Point.

Approximately 75% of 211 staff are bilingual and bicultural. United Way also reported that 211 operates three walk-in resource rooms and a mobile outreach RV that provides services at 15 community locations and participates in more than 250 outreach events annually.

Meanwhile, the report found that 211 handled 6,342 Medicare-related contacts, 4,371 Medicaid-related contacts, 647 Medicare enrollment requests, and 689 Medicaid application requests during the year.

Reaching Out for Help 

If you need assistance, you can always call 211 to reach out to a local specialist. Simply dial 211 from your cell phone or landline to speak with a live, highly trained service professional.

If you are looking for a 211 service in another community, or prefer to text, chat online, or search an online database, go to Your Local 211 | United Way 211

For more information about the Caregiver Support Program, visit www.aarp.org/211care. To connect with a 211 specialist, simply dial 2-1-1 or visit www.211

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To view all provisions of  H 7127Aaa, the state’s enacted 2027 Fiscal Year Budget proposal, go HERE – https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H7127Aaa.pdf

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To read more articles by Herb Weiss, go to:  https://2×8.ea2.myftpupload.com/herb-weiss/

Herb Weiss, LRI, 12, is a Pawtucket-based writer who has covered aging, healthcare, and medical issues for more than 45 years. To purchase his books, Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly and its two sequels, visit herbweiss.com.

Herb Weiss, LRI, ‘12, is a Pawtucket-based writer who has covered aging, healthcare, and medical issues for more than 45 years. To purchase his books, Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly and its two sequels, visit herbweiss.com.