Join us in telling the michigan legislature that Michigan 211 is essential.
The Michigan Legislature has been a long-time supporter of Michigan 2-1-1 and we are grateful for the ongoing commitment to their mission at large – providing essential support to vulnerable populations. Last year, MI211 helped more than 472,000 people across the state find the help they needed. To continue offering vital services, in 2024 we are asking the legislature to increase state funding for Michigan 2-1-1 by $7.05 million to improve day-to-day client service capacity and expand emergency disaster response preparedness.
Thank You for Your Support!
Thank you to all who supported our budget advocacy! See the full list of who signed on in support of this effort at the bottom of this page.
Dear Governor Whitmer, Senate Majority Leader Brinks, Senate Minority Leader Nesbitt, Speaker Tate, House Minority Leader Hall, and members of the Michigan Legislature,
We, the undersigned, represent a diverse coalition of businesses, nonprofit organizations, local governments, and community stakeholders from across the state who work side-by-side with our local United Ways and other human service organizations to ensure everyone in our communities has access to their basic needs. With that shared priority in mind, we are writing to encourage your support for a significant increase in funding for Michigan 2-1-1 in the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget.
Michigan 2-1-1 is an essential part of our human service infrastructure. Every day, the network serves as a single point of entry, helping thousands of callers access the support they need, and boosting the reach, efficiency, and effectiveness of safety-net services. Local service organizations equally rely on Michigan 2-1-1 to connect community members with programs and services that they offer. Whether an individual needs utility assistance, an appointment for free tax preparation, or help locating a nearby food or diaper bank, Michigan 2-1-1 provides quick, confidential, and easy access to nearly 30,000 available services.
As demand for help with basic needs like food, housing, utilities, transit, child care, and job training remains high, 2-1-1 is a lifeline for people in every corner of the state and it is crucial that it receive the funding necessary to continue connecting Michigan residents to the public and private programs and services available for them. Furthermore, 2-1-1 has become a critical piece of state and local emergency response infrastructure, serving as a clearing house of real-time information for those impacted by community crises such as the Flint water crisis, floods in southeast Michigan, the dam break in Midland, deep freezes or heatwaves during power outages, and many other specific incidences where 2-1-1 has been publicly called upon by state and local officials to respond.
As we continue to see a significant increase in need due to the financial challenges many households are grappling with, more frequent natural
disasters and local emergencies, call volumes also continue to rise. To ensure the sustainability and effective operation of this critical resource, we are asking you to support an additional $7.05 million in funding for Michigan 2-1-1 in the FY2025 budget. This increased investment will boost capacity, grow community awareness of 2-1-1, expand social navigation support, strengthen coordination with state and local governments and nonprofit partners, and ensure that the system is properly resourced to continue to provide this essential service for anyone who needs it at anytime, anywhere across the state.
Sincerely,