Non-emergency help is just a phone call away in Sudbury
A non-emergency helpline telephone service, 211, connects people to community and government services to help with a wide range of social needs at a time they are increasing significantly.
A flag has been raised at Tom Davies Square in Sudbury to mark February as 211 Month.
"It's tough out there right now," said Mayor Paul Lefebvre.
“Certainly the financial burden that people are facing and certainly accessing services, as well, there (are) lots of questions. People have been in their homes for a long time during the pandemic so accessing these services is so key for … their mental health.”
The month is dedicated to raising awareness that non-emergency help is just a phone call away.
"There are a number of people struggling right now whether it be requiring financial help, or going to the food banks, mental well-being and there are a lot of people and agencies in our community that want to help and the 211 is that connecting piece," said Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh.
The 211 help line is funded by the United Way.
"When you call 211, you will get a live person -- which is wonderful -- and that person will evaluate your challenges and your situation and will give you the information you need to resolve those challenges," said Madeleine Sauve, a community impact associate with the United Way North East Ontario.
Officials said there are a wide range of needs the helpline can help with, from health to mental health, hunger, housing, disability supports and newcomer services among others.
"Our service comes in 150 different languages and it's 24-7," said Sauve.
United Way officials said in 2022, the 211 help line in Sudbury received almost 2,000 calls. The top needs were health-related, housing, mental health and substance abuse.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.