211: Basic Needs of the Inland Region
Utilizing 211 call data from 2021 to determine the needs of the residents in both San Bernardino and Riverside County
What is 211?
211 is a designated number for information and referrals to social services and other assistance. Callers are referred and connected to appropriate agencies and community organizations that provide health and human resources and services. It is a crucial resource that assists in individuals and families in navigating through the complexity of social service system and assists in matching community based organizations to the populations that have the most need or are historically vulnerable.
Needs of 211 Callers by Zip Code
Taking data provided by the Inland Southern California United Way 211 Contact Center, the map below shows the top needs of each zip code within San Bernardino and Riverside County. Clicking on each zip code will also show the name of the incorporating cities, population, and call volume for the year.
Needs categories are defined by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) Taxonomy system. More information regarding the taxonomy can be found here.
Top Needs of 211 Callers
Frequency of Top Need throughout all Zip Codes in the Inland Region
Of all the categories, housing needs occur the most, with 110 zip codes designating that category as their top need. Housing needs include but are not limited to: rental assistance, affordable housing, and emergency shelters.
When comparing the population totals to the call volume totals, there isn't a clear relationship between total call volume increasing in proportion to population density, which can indicate that there isn't necessarily a scarcity of resources and services being provided in the area, but rather the possibility that needs are based on accessibility issues.
Location of 211 Referral Agencies
The 211 Contact Center maintains a specially curated resource and service database that Community Resource Advisors, the trained staff that answer 211 calls, use to connect callers to agencies that match their specific need. The map below shows all the agencies located within the Inland Region that service the surrounding areas. Clicking on each point will identify the name of the site or agency and their address.
211 Database Location
