Hi Maria,
Welcome to the Community Tool Box (CTB) and Ask an Advisor, I hope you'll find our advice useful, directly applicable, timely, and accurate regarding your purchase of community resource data. To be honest with you Maria, I'm not quite sure what you're asking, but I do believe that there are various sources of community resource data that is free, you just have to do a little digging. For example, I did a Google search using the search terms "community resource data" and was rewarded, for example with the "Community Resource Database of Long Island, a free, online directory of health, human service, and education agencies and programs on Long Island – services for children, teens, adults, families, and seniors in both Nassau and Suffolk counties (http://www.crdli.org/about_crd.html)." Granted I don't live on Long Island, but the point is that a simple search yielded free community resource data. Out of curiosity I did a second search using the search terms "community resource data for Monrovia, CA" which is where I live and came up with this http://www.cityofmonrovia.org/communityservices. So, my point is that community resource data is out there, you just have to do a little searching, as simple as that (yay!). To find community resource data for where you live you would do as I did by typing into your browser "community resource data for (wherever you are)" and that should do the trick.
To the second part of your query Maria, I wasn't sure what you meant by the best way to approach helplines so I did a quick search of both the 211 helpline and 311 helpline because I'd never heard of such a thing. Well, now I know and I thank you for compelling me to do a little digging to find out what they're all about. First, I typed in 211 helpline and came up with a number of 211 resources specific to certain areas of the country, for example, Mass 211 (for Massachusetts) and 211 of Salt Lake (Salt Lake City, UT) which links people to various community resources. In next typed in 311 helpline and found out that one can gain access to non-emergency municipal services specific to where one lives. As far as approaching either of these two helplines, once you find the helpline in your area it's just a matter of typing in or clicking for information. Each type of helpline will offer you multiple alternatives depending on the resources you're looking for. Again, all free. Now, that's one way of approaching either a 211 or 311 helpline, through their website and simply looking for information. If you want to talk to someone you can always look for and click on the "contact us" button which will provide multiple alternatives from departments to people to social networks. All you have to do is call them up or email them with your question and you're on your way, pretty cool I think.
So, with that Maria, thank you very much for visiting the CTB and Ask an Advisor. I'm not sure if I answered your questions accurately, if not, please revisit us and we'll work together to find a viable alternative. We wish you the greatest of success in your endeavors. Take care, be well, do good work!
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