2-1-1 Funding Sign on letter

Michigan 2-1-1 is an essential part of our human service infrastructure, connecting individuals and families in need with critical assistance in times of crisis. To ensure the sustainability and effective operation of this critical resource, we’re asking the state legislature to support an additional $2.64 million in funding for Michigan 2-1-1 in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. This increased investment will boost capacity, introduce a Community Information Exchange, expand social navigation, 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.

See below for the full sign on letter. Please join us in urging the legislature to support 2-1-1 by filling out the form below.

Dear Governor Whitmer, Senate Majority Leader Brinks, Senate Minority Leader Nesbitt, Speaker Hall, House Minority Leader Puri, and members of the Michigan Legislature,

As members of the board of trustees of United Way for Southeastern Michigan, we the undersigned are writing to encourage the legislature to support an increase in funding for Michigan 2-1-1 in the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget.

We know many Michiganders are struggling to make ends meet. In 2022, 41% of Michigan households made less than the minimum needed to afford their basic needs such as housing, childcare, and food. Although resources exist, navigating different systems can be challenging and inefficient.

For more than 20 years, Michigan 2-1-1 — a free, confidential helpline, staffed by professionals — has helped quickly and effectively connect your constituents to the resources they need. The service is available through phone, text, or web throughout the entire state, meaning someone can dial 2-1-1 from anywhere in Michigan and receive personalized support. In the 2024 fiscal year, more than 400,000 people contacted Michigan 2-1-1 for assistance with food, housing, utilities, child care, job training and other resources. More a third of those calls were answered by the 2-1-1 operated by United Way for Southeastern Michigan alone, which serves Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties.

Among its many benefits to the people of our state, Michigan 2-1-1 makes public and private services more efficient by creating a single point of entry for anyone who needs help. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and maintains a real-time online database of more than 30,000 local service partners and the programs and resources they offer.

2-1-1 has evolved beyond just assisting individuals in times of need. It’s helped connect citizens to life-saving information in the 20 declared state disasters over the past decade. During the Flint water crisis, floods in Southeastern Michigan, the dam break in Midland, and deep freezes or heatwaves, state and local officials have relied on 2-1-1 to respond. Over the last year, daily 2-1-1 call volumes were 18% greater than we saw during the height of the pandemic. In January and February of this year, call volumes in Southeastern Michigan alone averaged around 900 calls per day.

It’s clear that 2-1-1 plays a unique and essential role across the state. However, the system is in critical need of additional funding to provide the high-quality service our households and communities rely on. Michigan 2-1-1 has a proven ability to efficiently and effectively respond to emergencies and support Michigan residents in their time of need. It is a lifeline for families. We understand that state resources are limited, but among the options on the table, it is clear to us that the value Michigan 2-1-1 brings to the state and its people should make it a clear priority.

We urge you to safeguard the future of this important resource by supporting $6.6 million in operational funding for Michigan 2-1-1 in the FY2026 budget.

Sincerely,

Ed Siaje
Bank of America
Chair of Board of Directors, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Luanne Thomas Ewald
C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital
Vice Chairman, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Maria Dwyer
Clark Hill, PLC
Secretary, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Mark Stiers
DTE Energy
Immediate Past Chairman of the Board

Erik Bakker
Bank Of Ann Arbor
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Lisa Cawley
Accenture
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Rich Chang
Blumira
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Gregory Dill
Washtenaw County Government
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Pancho Hall
P&THE Holding, LLC
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Dr. Sonia Hassan Duggan
Wayne State University
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Kelle Ilitch
Ilitch Holdings, Inc.
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Hassan Jaber
Upsurge Strategies
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Mark Moreno
Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Richard Pappas
Davenport University
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Kristin Smallwood
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Allyson Waldman
Roush Enterprises
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Clare Willett
EY
Board Member, United Way for Southeastern Michigan