211
211 in North Dakota — FirstLink
Three digits for the problems that are not 911 and are not a jump start. Food, heat, shelter, a listening line.
How to reach 211 here
Dial 211. If 211 does not connect, FirstLink publishes 701-235-7335 (701-235-SEEK). Text your zip code to 898-211 for resource text-back. Website: myfirstlink.org. FirstLink is the 211 provider for the entire state of North Dakota and for Clay County, Minnesota.
- 24/7 information and referral, plus supportive listening.
- 988 is the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — FirstLink answers 988 for North Dakota and parts of western Minnesota. Call or text 988.
- 211 is not police dispatch. 911 remains 911.
- Help Me is not a 211 client portal. We send you here.
What to call 211 for
You need a pantry, a shelter bed, help with heat, a county office, or you need a human to help you name the next door. They keep a database of nonprofit and government programs. That is their job. It is a better job than asking a matched stranger to become a caseworker.
Cass County still exists
211 will often send Fargo and West Fargo callers toward Cass County Human Services for benefits. That is correct. Open the Cass County resource page if you already know you need the Annex at 1010 2nd Ave. S.
Questions people actually ask
Is 211 the same as Help Me support?
No. 211 is FirstLink. Help Me support is support@helpme.fyi for the app. Emergencies are 911.
Does 211 work in West Fargo?
Yes. West Fargo is in North Dakota. Dial 211.
Keep going
211
211 in Minnesota — including Moorhead
Dial 211 in Minnesota for health and human services. United Way 211 at 211unitedway.org. FirstLink answers 211 in Clay County. Not Help Me.
Cass County
Cass County resources (North Dakota)
Cass County Human Services, 911, 211, and North Dakota help for Fargo and West Fargo. Clay County programs do not copy-paste here.
housing
Homeless services — call official programs, not a neighbor app
Official shelter and housing help in Fargo–Moorhead: 211, Churches United, New Life Center, Gladys Ray, YWCA. Help Me is not a shelter.
food
Food assistance — official pantries and benefits, not an app request
Food help in Fargo–Moorhead: 211, SNAP through your county, Great Plains Food Bank, pantries, and meal sites. Help Me is not a food program.
crisis
Mental health help — official crisis lines, not a neighbor chat
Mental-health crisis in Fargo–Moorhead: 988, 911 if in danger, FirstLink, campus counseling. Help Me is not a crisis line or a therapist.
emergency
Emergencies: 911, then the right local desk
Call 911 in Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, and Dilworth. Campus police and 211 are next. Help Me is not emergency response.
Help Me is a community app for adults in Fargo–Moorhead. It is not a K–12 student program, not a youth chat, and not campus police.