The Greater Victoria United Way is celebrating the first year of BC-211. The confidential and free referral service helps citizens to find the right community, social and government service they need.
United Way's Jennifer Young says in the past year there's been over 12-thousand web searches and 17-hundred phones calls:
" And people are contacting BC211 for any number of reasons, but their top reasons happen month after month. And they include housing and homelessness, income and financial assistance, mental health, health and substance use. So BC211 really provides a bit of a snapshot of what's going on in the community."
Other services people can connect to involve children and youth, newcomer and senior services, employment programs, food banks, and legal aid.
BC211 has been on the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley since early 2000 -- but expanded across the province last year -- with the island receiving phone, text and online service.