Help is at your fingertips

Navigate resources using the 211 Wisconsin App and Online Resource Directory

In February, IMPACT launched an app for easy access to information about thousands of resources curated by IMPACT 211 throughout our nine-county region of Southeastern Wisconsin. Working collaboratively with seven other 211 contact centers, we host the most comprehensive database of family, health and social services in the state, which is accessible via the app.

Features of the 211 Wisconsin App include:

• Broad range of major needs categories
• Spanish language option
• View map of nearby resources
• New “Open Today” filter for food pantries 
• Share button for assisting families, friends and clients
• FAQ page

The 211 Wisconsin database contains 8,000 agencies with 23,000 services, and 20 dedicated resource managers across Wisconsin who ensure the information is kept up to date according to industry standards.

• Services in our database must adhere to our statewide Inclusion Policy. We primarily list non-profit, government, free or sliding-fee-scale services.
• We aim to categorize services under the most specific term that is accurate.
• All services are geocoded to the ZIP Codes matching their service areas.

The 211 App was made possible by United Way of Dane County donors Phil and Kit Blake. Once developed, United Way of Dane County partnered with the seven other 211 centers in Wisconsin for a state-wide rollout.

Since the launch in February, there have been 2,076 searches by 375 unique users in our region. The top search categories included Food Pantry / Emergency Food; Rent Assistance; and Low-Income Housing.

Access to the IMPACT 211 online resource directory is also free to all users and can be accessed through the IMPACT website. In the first six months of 2025 there were 35,317 search sessions by individuals seeking information on family, health and human service providers in Milwaukee County and throughout Wisconsin.

Relationships bring results

IMPACT Connect facilitates a shared leadership structure to create effective solutions for community problems that none of us can solve alone.

By linking health and human service providers, government agencies, and other partners engaged in whole-person care coordination, IMPACT Connect:

• Ensures that people get connected to the resources they need to address food insecurity, housing instability, health/mental health issues, transportation barriers, and other factors impacting their health and well-being
• Tracks referral status and outcomes to improve client success
• Creates complete, HIPAA-compliant records
• Collects data that helps identify gaps in services and addresses systemic issues

Learn more about our structure and how your organization can benefit here.

More than a hotline:

How IMPACT works in Wisconsin

If you or anyone you know has ever been in need of a service, you may have been told to call IMPACT. But what exactly is that?  Read the article here.

Since 1960, IMPACT has helped people take the first step toward changing their life, for good. We assess and guide those experiencing personal crisis toward resources to achieve stability; and collaborate with community partners to foster system improvement throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.