📞 211 and this site are teammates

211 is a free phone line with real people, 24/7.
Call 211 from any phone. They know thousands of programs across the metro and have interpreters in more than 180 languages.

Facts on this page checked online · July 26, 2026.

Call 211 when…

  1. You want to talk to a person who can ask questions and point you somewhere specific.
  2. You need something we don't cover — they have thousands of listings; we keep a short list on purpose.
  3. English isn't your language. Their phone interpreters cover more languages than any website in KC, including this one.
  4. Lists are changing fast — cooling centers in a heat wave, shelter beds in a cold snap. They have today's version.

Use this site when…

  1. It's 2 AM and you want to read, not talk. Every page here works on a cheap phone with one bar.
  2. You want steps in plain words — what to do first, what to say, what rights you have — not just a phone number.
  3. You want to know the number still works. Every listing shows the date we last checked it. If a program is out of money, we say so.
  4. The state line is confusing things. Missouri and Kansas programs differ; our pages show both sides.
Mental health crisis? Skip both and call or text 988 — free, confidential, 24/7.