United Way SWV Hosts National 211 Day Open House in Beckley

United Way of Southern West Virginia will open its Beckley office to the public on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for a National 211 Day open house. The event at 110 Croft St., Beckley, aims to raise awareness of the free, confidential 2-1-1 information and referral hotline that links callers to non-emergency health and human services across southern West Virginia.

The 2-1-1 service is designed to help residents navigate a complex network of social services and find local resources for needs ranging from housing and food assistance to healthcare and crisis supports. United Way of Southern West Virginia serves Fayette, McDowell, Mercer, Nicholas, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming counties, and also includes Bluefield, Virginia, in its service area. The organization funds more than 30 community partners and operates programs including the Equal Footing Shoe Fund and the 211 Information and Referral Hotline.

Executive Director Trena Dacal invited community members to visit the Beckley office. “We are always open to having the community stop into our office to provide information on the most vital services available in southern West Virginia or to ask questions about our fundraising efforts and direct services,” said Dacal. She added the organization wants to introduce residents to staff and encourage local support: “We’re excited to open our doors on 211 Day to host our friends and neighbors and introduce them to our staff. We encourage those who want to support our work to make a $21 (or greater) donation in honor of the 2-1-1 Information and Referral Hotline. We are so proud to provide a vital local program and connect the residents of southern West Virginia with the resources they need.”

The open house gives McDowell County residents a nearby opportunity to learn how 2-1-1 can help them or people they know, ask questions about available programs, and discuss United Way fundraising and partnerships. For households weighing whether to seek assistance, the event offers direct, in-person guidance on where to turn and how the hotline operates as a first step toward services.

United Way SWV also held a separate open house tied to Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2 to mark the organization’s 60 years of service since its 1965 founding. That event, which ran 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 110 Croft St., encouraged supporters to consider a $60 donation in honor of the anniversary. “We’re excited to open our doors on Giving Tuesday to host our friends and neighbors and introduce them to our staff,” Dacal said about that prior event.

For the Feb. 11 211 Day open house visitors should go to 110 Croft St., Beckley, WV 25801. United Way SWV also lists 306 S. Kanawha St., Beckley, WV 25801 as an organizational address and 304-253-7000 as a contact phone number. Residents who cannot attend in person can call that number to learn more about 2-1-1, partner services, and volunteer or donation options. The Beckley open house offers a practical way for local residents to connect with services and the people who help run them, and it underscores the role of 2-1-1 in linking southern West Virginia communities to essential non-emergency resources.