Text Message Resources
Connecting Californians to Vital Resources Through Text
In today’s fast-paced world, access to information can be a lifeline—but not everyone has equal access to the internet, traditional mail, or reliable phone service. United Ways of California’s text-based initiatives help bridge this gap, complementing the accessibility of 211 by reaching people where they are. We provide easy-to-access information for busy families, individuals with varying access needs, and communities that are hard to reach, ensuring that every Californian—regardless of location, age, health condition, legal status, or financial situation—can access the vital programs and resources they need to thrive.
Our text campaigns are a powerful method to communicate with the communities we serve in a fast and effective manner.
As the needs of Californians change and evolve, so do the programs we offer. We keep Californians informed about supportive services, financial security programs, important legislation updates, disaster preparedness, and more—and connect them to portals for additional resources. To improve outreach, we also offer information in multiple languages, tailoring our efforts to meet the unique needs of each community. In 2024 alone, we connected 79,929 community members to vital programs through text.
If you’d like to receive future updates about available programs and resources via text message, add your mobile number to this form, and we’ll make sure you’re added to our list.
Below are the text campaign resources United Ways of California currently has open for community members to access. You may text any of our keywords to 211-211 to see how it works or get quickly connected to key resources.
- BENEFITS: Screens for 18 social safety net benefits at the federal, state, and local levels through our Benefit Calculator.
- TAXES: Citizens and residents are screened for CalEITC eligibility, are referred to MyFreeTaxes.org to file for free, and receive tax-related information and updates.
- ITIN: Provides public general information on where to apply for ITINs, ITIN renewals, and where to check ITIN expiration status.
- PREPARE: Under the 211CA partnership project, this text resource provides power outage preparedness information and resources to California residents who are PG&E or SCE customers.
- PSPS: Ventura text resource that informs Californians of power shut offs in their county. Flow is managed by 211 Ventura.