Community Voice Mail

COMMUNITY VOICEMAIL A DIRECT LINE TO OPPORTUNITY FREE!

Having a telephone is something most of us take for granted. But envision taking care of your day to day responsibilities without one!

HOW COULD YOU…

• Find a job?
• Get information from your doctor?
• Receive messages from your child’s school or day care?
• Stay in touch with family?

For hundreds of homeless and low income people in our area, this unimaginable situation is a stark reality! With Community Voice Mail, people without phones receive a personal voice mailbox that gives them easy access to confidential messages. CVM gives people a direct line to opportunity. CVM offers individuals and families a crucial communications link to the world. Since the Homeless Coalition initiated the program in 1998, CVM has made a profound impact by helping homeless and low income residents become more self-sufficient.

A national survey of CVM clients shows they achieve goals such as securing housing and employment –access to health care and human services-in one third the time it takes those who have no access to voice mail.

CVM staff provides a group of phone numbers to each subscribing agency and trains direct service staff how to connect clients and recycle/reassign voice mailboxes. Voice mailboxes are also available with Spanish instructions.

We will train staff:

1. 1. To identify clients who will benefit from Voice Mail.
2. 2. To help these clients determine objectives.
3. 3. To help clients use the service to link with employers, landlords, school personnel, medical caregivers, social service providers and FAMILY!

To date the Chattanooga Homeless Coalition has distributed 200 voicemail numbers with 15 agencies now using these numbers for their clients. If you have questions about getting CVM numbers for your clients please contact Ruby Mitchell at 423-752-4807 or you can email her at rmitchell@homelesscoalition.org or you may visit www.hud.gov