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WHERE: Dick DeWees Community Center 1120 W. Ocean Avenue, Lompoc
WHY: Timed to coincide with National 211 Day, CommUnify is pleased to announce the fourth annual 211 Community Day Celebration on Saturday, February 7, 2026 from 11:00am until 3:00pm at the Dick DeWees Community Center, 1120 W. Ocean Avenue, Lompoc. Sponsored by the nonprofit’s Energy Services and Head Start programs, this event is FREE and open to the public. (see flyer attached) As CommUnify serves residents countywide, the event location alternates each year, with the celebration to be held in Lompoc this year.
There will be kids’ activities including story time with the Lompoc Public Library’s Bookmobile, health screenings from SEE, Community Health Centers, and other agencies, door prizes, no charge haircuts with Cosmoton Academy, free lunch for the first 300 attendees provided by Savory & Sweet Eats and a live radio broadcast from Lalo of La Ley and Ben from Sunny Country. This event is only possible with the generous support of our sponsors including Allan Hancock College, Santa Barbara Foundation, Transitions Mental Health Association, NPG/NewsChannel 3-12, The Lompoc Record, and American General Media.
Please visit http://www.CommUnifySB.org for a complete description of CommUnify’s programs and services. For more information about the event visit 211 Community Day Celebration. Contact Joni Kelly, Communications Manager for CommUnify at 805-886-1869 or via email [email protected] to request high-resolution images and broadcast quality B-roll, or to arrange interviews with Patricia Keelean, Chief Executive Officer of CommUnify or Alejandra Enciso, 211 Program Manager for CommUnify. All media are encouraged to attend this event, and advance coverage/previews and RSVPs would be greatly appreciated.
About the 211 HelpLine:
First enacted by the Federal Communication Commission in 2000, the 211 HelpLine is an information and referral system to provide people with health and human services, disaster relief referrals, and general information about programs and resources available to them in their area of residence. 211 is completely confidential and there is no cost to callers. 211 covers 86% of the population nationally, and 96% of California’s population has access to 211. Santa Barbara County implemented the 211 HelpLine in 2005, and it is available to every resident, in 150 languages, with live assistance 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The 211 HelpLine became a program of CommUnify in November 2014 and has over 3,000 programs and services in its database. In 2024, CommUnify’s 211 call center received more than 10,000 calls and texts, had in excess of 15,000 web visitors, and provided over 10,000 live call referrals. The top three areas of inquiries and information were for housing, mental health, and utility assistance. The 211 HelpLine truly addresses the most urgent needs of residents here in Santa Barbara County, and in 2024 responded to approximately 210 crisis calls in the areas of domestic violence, rape, medical emergencies, and suicide/mental health matters. In 2026, the 211 Youth Resource App was launched to provide referrals to no-cost or low-cost programs and services specifically geared toward young residents ages 10 to 24. To learn more about the breadth of free and low-cost services available through the 211 HelpLine please visit https://211SBCO.org.
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