To get off the streets, people need jobs and housing. Imagine trying to land a job when your prospective employer cannot call you back or find a place to live when your new landlord cannot phone you with either a question or the go ahead.
When you’re homeless you’re also phone-less. That makes it terribly hard to break the cycle.
A non-profit organization has a solution. Community voice mail distributes free voice mail services to people with financial need. Their simple idea works. In 2004, despite a difficult national economy, 55% of their clients found jobs and 65% found housing…. because someone could call them back and leave them a message.
A friend is Community Voice Mail’s director of development and communications. She says the organization is well run, honest, and effective. (And, if the rest of the folks there are anything like Patty, their office must vibrate with energy.)
They’ve been featured on CNN.com and several news stories. And, they are now a finalist for a cool $1 Million from Amazon.com. Amazon actually has a cool way of determining the winner of the $1 Million — it will be the organization that receives the most donations from individuals through Amazon up until September 30th.
If you have any “spare change” that you want to go to an effective, important organization, please click and donate. Donate today, if you can. And come back and give more before September 30th.
Looks like a great idea!
Community Voice Mail
Thanks so much for highlighting our organization. By the way, we provide free voicemail to lots of people in need, including AIDS/Hospice patients, shut-ins and domestic violence victims, too.
Every little bit helps!