Social Service Help Site Online

A new online service called BC211 is now operating.

It provides a search tool to help people get assistance for non-clinical health and social services around BC.

Linda Yule from the North Okanagan United Way says they’ve spent the last two years populating the data base.

“It will be maintained so a whole bunch of service providers don’t have to maintain separate data bases. They can look at this one, and they can find services for their client as well.”

Linda Yule says the site has a database of 12-thousand agencies and programs.

“They will be able to find food banks. They will be able to find shelter. They will be able to find daycare referral. They will be able to find family services. If there is a not-for-profit service in BC we hope to have it on there.”

Yule says the site provides more local, legitimate sources than you’d get from Google.

“You’re going to get a lot of stuff that’s extraneous or doesn’t apply. This is very, very focused.”

The website — www.bc211.ca — also features an online chat service seven days a week.