Both a website and a three-digit phone number, 211 WNY is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. People can dial 211 or 888-696-9211 and talk to a trained specialist who is able to identify services in the community - including basic needs, food assistance, free tax preparation, holiday assistance, housing, job training, legal counseling, mental health services, substance abuse services, volunteer opportunities, and more. 

Catholic Charities offers programs that strive to empower individuals, children and families. This includes comprehensive counseling services for all ages, basic emergency assistance and referrals, child and adult mental health counseling, educational and training programs, older adults support, immigration and refugee assistance and a variety of programs focusing on family safety and stabilization.

The New York State Office for the Aging helps all older New Yorkers be as independent as possible for as long as possible, with an emphasis on hard-to-serve and diverse populations. Person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs, and services support and empower older adults and their families, in partnership with a network of public and private state and community organizations.

FeedMore WNY is an organization dedicated to alleviating hunger and assisting community members throughout Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara counties. Its mission is to provide nutritious food, friendship, and skills training to those in need, enhancing their health and independence. Through various programs, including a food bank distribution center and home-delivered meal services, FeedMore WNY aims to offer dignity and hope to its neighbors.

The Western New York Integrated Care Collaborative (Integrated Care) connects local community organizations and healthcare partners to help you get the support you need to stay healthy. They make it easier for you to access programs and services that support your everyday needs—like food, housing, transportation, and more. The team works with your healthcare providers to close gaps in care and help you follow your health goals.

Child and Family Services provides a wide range of programs that support thousands of people each year, no matter their background. They help individuals and families build skills for brighter futures and stronger communities. Services include counseling, an employee assistance program, foster care, domestic violence help, family support services, conflict resolution, special education, and residential services.

WIC–Women, Infants, and Children–is a free New York State Department of Health program that helps families get healthy food. It supports people who are pregnant, postpartum individuals (up to 12 months if breastfeeding), and children under age 5, including those cared for by foster parents and grandparents. WIC provides funds for healthy food and infant formula, nutrition education, pregnancy and early childhood support, and breastfeeding.

HUD helps low income people by making housing more affordable and more stable. It does this mainly by helping families pay their rent through programs like Housing Choice Vouchers, which already assist about 2.3 million households. It also supports public housing and builds or repairs affordable homes so that people with limited income, including seniors and people with disabilities, have safe places to live.

The New York State Department of Health supports low income residents by providing free or low cost health insurance through Medicaid, along with affordable children’s coverage through Child Health Plus. It also offers home care support via CDPAP, free reproductive health services through the Family Planning Benefit Program, and prescription cost assistance for low income seniors through EPIC.

Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS) in Erie County provides free civil legal help to low income individuals and families, including assistance with public benefits, housing issues, family law, and domestic violence prevention. They also support clients facing eviction or homelessness and offer resources to help people understand their legal rights. 

(LDSS) in New York State provides essential services, including access to Medicaid, SNAP, Temporary Assistance, HEAP, and childcare subsidies for eligible residents. They also offer child welfare services—such as foster care, adoption support, and help for youth aging out of foster care—and assist vulnerable groups including homeless youth, immigrants, people with disabilities, and single parents.