A Call for Help – New York City’s 311
Many internationals moving to New York often wonder what the country and city are doing for their residents. Those coming from abroad might be used to many easily accessible social services being provided by the government free of charge, and many are surprised not to find those same amenities here in the United States. New York, however, offers a helpful social program to its residents in the form of 311.311 offers quick, easy access to government assistance with a variety of services that you may not know the city of New York even offered. 311 is also a great source of information regarding the city’s well being when other sources of information are not available. This article gives you a quick rundown of what kind of help 311 can offer, the information 311 provides, how to file complaints with 311, and some of the social services you might not know that 311 can connect you with.311 – Seeking Help
Many New Yorkers became more familiar with 311 when Hurricane Sandy battered New York. No matter the news source, residents were urged to call 311 rather than 911 to report issues like power outages, trees that were uprooted, or flooding that was occurring in their area. This enabled the first responders at 911 to focus on more critical issues, such as the fires that engulfed 80 homes in Queens.311 also offers help in scenarios when the city is not under the siege of natural disasters. For example, if you are in a situation of domestic violence, 311 will connect you with the appropriate programs to get you out of the situation safely. If you are close to becoming homeless, 311 will connect you with agencies to help you pay your rent and keep you out of shelters and off the streets. There are a number of issues 311 is happy to help you with. Even if you are unsure if it’s a situation they can assist you with, calling in never hurts as they can at least guide you in the right direction.311 – Complaints
311 – For Information
311 Programs You Didn't Know About
Helping You as a Global CitizenInternationals are no exception to all the opportunities 311 has to offer the residents of New York. You can find information on housing, immigration and employment, while also making sure you are taken care of by your landlords and employers in New York City. The 311 service employs a number of multilingual agents but they are also able to bring in intepreters and do a three-way phone call with interpretation in over 150 languages. 311 is a number worth remembering – we encourage you to take advantage of it!Article updated: December 2, 2014