211 Information and Referral of Northwest Alabama

09/02/2026

*MARION & WINSTON COUNTIES*

09/02/2026

🎄❤️ Christmas assistance has already begun!

The Salvation Army of the Shoals Angel Tree registration is now open! 🎁 If you or someone you know may need help with Christmas this year, check out the flyer below for registration information and eligibility details. *COLBERT, LAUDERDALE, AND FRANKLIN CO.*

More holiday assistance programs will be opening soon! Need help finding Christmas or holiday assistance? Call 2-1-1 and let us help connect you with available local resources.

📞 Dial 2-1-1
🌐 https://www.211connectsalabama.org/

09/01/2026

💜 September is Recovery Month! 💜

Recovery looks different for everyone, and knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. That’s where 211 can help.

Looking for substance use treatment, recovery support, counseling, or behavioral health resources? Call 2-1-1. We’ll help connect you with local and national resources to find the next step.

You don’t have to navigate it alone. 💜

08/27/2026

Save the date!

Something special is coming. 🦋

**NINE • TWO • FIVE**
September 25, 2026

Save the date for a very special announcement from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and United Way of Northwest Alabama.

We can’t tell you everything just yet… but trust us, you’ll want to be part of this one. ❤️📚

More details coming soon!

08/25/2026

It is with tremendous sadness that we mourn the loss of the incomparable Dolly Parton.

Dolly’s music, talent, wit and unmistakable spirit inspired millions of people around the world. But perhaps even more remarkable was the way she used that extraordinary life to make the lives of others better. Her warmth, her generosity, and her ability to make people feel seen and valued were unmatched.

For all of us at United Way of Northwest Alabama, Dolly’s legacy is especially personal.

Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, she turned a simple but powerful belief; that every child should grow up with books in their home; into a movement that has changed the lives of millions of children and families. We are incredibly proud to carry a small piece of that legacy forward by bringing the Imagination Library to children here in Northwest Alabama.

Every book we mail. Every child who discovers the joy of reading. Every bedtime story shared between a parent and a child. That is Dolly’s legacy, too.

She showed us what can happen when enormous talent is matched by an equally enormous heart.

May we all strive to walk through this world a little more like Dolly - with kindness, joy, generosity, humor and an unwavering belief that we can make life better for someone else.

We will miss her more than words can say.

In Dolly We Trust. ❤️

08/17/2026

💙 THANK YOU, FIRST SOUTHERN BANK! 💙

211 and United Way of Northwest Alabama are incredibly grateful to the entire First Southern Bank team for their generous support of our Dress for Success Clothing Closet! 👔👗

Donations were collected from their Florence Main Branch, Muscle Shoals, Killen, St. Florian, Marshall County Branch, Operations, and Mortgage Departments. 🙌

These donations will help individuals in our community access professional clothing as they prepare for employment and work toward a brighter future.

Thank you, First Southern Bank, for helping 211 connect people to the resources they need! ❤️

08/13/2026

👔 COMING THIS FALL! | DRESS FOR SUCCESS CLOTHING CLOSET 👠

The community’s outpouring of support has been AMAZING, and we’re getting ready to launch the United Way of Northwest Alabama & 211 Dress for Success Clothing Closet this fall! 🎉

Our referral-based program will provide free professional and work-related clothing to help individuals prepare for employment, interviews, and other opportunities.

👚 WE’RE STILL COLLECTING!
Please donate CLEAN, VERY GENTLY USED or NEW items. As donations grow, we want to make sure we can serve everyone!

Current needs:
• Women’s professional clothing (specifically sizes XL-3XL)
• Men’s steel-toe boots
• Black pants & professional attire
• Black slip-resistant shoes
• Women’s work heels & flats
• Scrubs
• Regular & pants hangers
• Storage bins with lids
• Full length mirrors
• Monetary donations or gift cards to purchase items that may not be donated.

📍 Donation Drop-Off: United Way of Northwest Alabama, 205 W. College St., Florence
🗓️ Tuesdays & Wednesdays | 9 AM–1 PM

🙋‍♀️ WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
We’ll need volunteers to help sort, organize, hang donations, and eventually assist clients with shopping when appointments begin!

📞 Questions, donations, or volunteer interest? Contact Nicole Watson: 256-764-5892 ext. 115

💙 Thank you for helping us get this program off the ground and making sure our community has access to the clothing they need to succeed!

More details coming soon!

08/10/2026

📚 211 & United Way at Northwest Shoals Community College Phil Campbell Campus!

211 and United Way of Northwest Alabama were grateful to attend the Northwest-Shoals Community College Phil Campbell Campus Fall Inservice for students and faculty. It was a great opportunity to connect with the Phil Campbell community and introduce students and faculty to the resources available through 211 and United Way.

A special thank you to Rep. Jamie Kiel, Alabama House of Representatives District 18, for taking the time to speak with students and help prepare them for a new academic year.

As students navigate college, enter the workforce, build careers, and take on all the changes that come with adulthood, we want them to know they don't have to figure everything out alone. Whether it's housing, food, transportation, healthcare, financial assistance, or other challenges life throws their way, 211 is here to help connect them to resources and support.

We're proud to be a resource for our students, faculty, and communities across Northwest Alabama.

08/04/2026

🐾 Free Pet Wellness Events Coming to Northwest Alabama! 🐾

Monte's 10 County Challenge, hosted by Monte's Wellness Clinic in partnership with the Greater Huntsville Humane Society (GHHS) is bringing free pet services to our area!

Services may include:
🐶 Free dog & cat food
🐱 Wellness exams
💉 Free vaccines
✂️ Spay & neuter opportunities

Upcoming events:

📍 Lawrence County
Wednesday, August 12 | 12:00–4:00 PM
Tractor Supply
11655 AL-157, Moulton, AL 35650

📍 Lauderdale County in partnership with Chapel King Florence City Council District 6 Representative
Thursday, August 13
Time Adventure
4051 Hwy 72, Killen, AL 35645

📍 Franklin County
Thursday, August 20 | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Tractor Supply
14001 Hwy 43, Russellville, AL 35653

Looking for low-cost or free spay/neuter services, pet food assistance, or other pet resources in your community? Call 2-1-1 or visit 211connectsalabama.org to get connected with available programs.

07/21/2026

Today our office celebrated our intern, Nora, as she completed her internship with United Way of Northwest Alabama and prepares to graduate from the University of North Alabama later this month! 🎓💙

Nora has been a wonderful addition to our team, supporting both our 211 program and the Dress for Success Clothing Closet initiative. We are grateful for her hard work and dedication and wish her all the best in this next chapter.

Congratulations, Nora! 🎉