The NJ 211 Resource Database contains information on over 2,500 organizations and 7,600 agencies offering details about more than 9,000 services at over 12,000 locations throughout New Jersey and beyond. Keeping a database of this size up to date requires cooperation from agency professionals throughout the state, and a staff of database resource specialists who have been trained to understand how to index records so that resources can be easily retrieved when someone is looking for help. Lean more about how our resource database is maintained and updated.
How Searches Work
By default, all searches are made by Need/Topic. Searching a word or phrase that describes your need, or what topic you are trying to find, will help you find what you are looking for. A search term like "food" will retrieve close to 100 separate categories of resources to choose from, with a number next to it identifying how many resources fall into that specific category. Selecting which category best matches your need will help you get your search results.
Search the Database Like a Library
A common misperception is that when you enter a search term, you will retrieve all entries that have that specific word anywhere in the listing. However, our search feature works much more like the indexing system in a library, where books are divided into sections, and those sections are divided into subsections.
Like a library, the resources in our database are put into a sophisticated hierarchy of categories known as taxonomy. When searching the database, you are really searching for the category that best matches your search term.
Try Our Guided Search!
Not sure where to begin? Try our Guided Search! By first choosing a broad need category such as "Housing" or "Food", you can conveniently narrow your search to a particular need.
As always, if you are having trouble finding the help you need, you can call us at any time by dialing 2-1-1 within the state of New Jersey, or 877-652-1148. You can also email us at info@nj211.org.
We Want to Hear From You
The database is constantly being updated to offer the most up-to-date information possible. If you notice any information that you think may be incorrect or incomplete, please contact us at database@nj211.org.