San Francisco startup offers homeless free voice mail

AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 4/14/06 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

A project offering free voice mail to the homeless and poor to help them find jobs and stay in touch with family signed up 228 members during its launch.

Project CARE started Thursday will be available in shelters around the city in the coming weeks.

"It was a fairly easy service to offer since we already have built a high-end voice mail system for paying customers," said Craig Walker, chief executive of GrandCentral Communications. "So we thought, 'Hey, let's do some good with this.'"

The startup company's paid voice mail product is scheduled to launch this summer, but access will remain free for homeless clients.

Homeless advocates say the system will help alleviate the stress of not being able to get messages from family members, potential employers or social workers.

"I can't tell you how many appointments I've missed because I had nowhere for people to get ahold of me," said Simon Wollam, 27, who signed up for the program with his wife. "I just blew an appointment I had with a lung specialist, who I really need to see if I'm going to get my health back so I can actually work someday."

A Seattle nonprofit organization called Community Voice Mail offers voice mail services nationwide to homeless people, disaster victims and others in need.

[NormsRevenge]

posted this morning

Project hooks up homeless with voice mail accounts ^

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1614905/posts

[freekitty]

I am for one not paying for it.

[martin_fierro]

"I can't tell you how many appointments I've missed because I had nowhere for people to get ahold of me," said Simon Wollam

"Hi, you've reached Simon's voicemail. I'm not home ... well, ever."

[NormsRevenge]

I wish they had gone into his affliction and what may have caused it.. Oh, never mind. I'd just be accused of being insensitive anyway.

[Revolting cat!]

"Hi, you've reached Simon's voice mail. For spare change donation press 1."

[glorgau]

I want to leave a recurring message - "No, I don't have any spare change".

[CAWats]

Give a homeless guy a million bucks and he'll be homeless in a year.

[M203M4]

Looks win-win-even. Positive publicity for the company, *potential* real benefit for the homeless (wouldn't bet on it, but hey), and it isn't a tax funded government cash burning ritual (though my beady eyes are on the lookout).

[NormsRevenge]

Oh sure, from a Canadian,, where socialsim is the order of the day. lol ;-)

at least they took the cash cards away from the homeless.

[TexasCajun]

"You've reached Boxcar Bob!"

"Press 1 for English"

"Press 2 for Spanish"

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Ah, San Francisco, as they have stated in no uncertain terms how they hate and detest the military. Will the city fathers now put it into writing, that when the next predicted big quake hits, they don't want the military to come and help their citizens.

[BobS]

"Hey bro, where's the free food and a good place to show a sign?"

[BobS]

What I have found is that if you look straight and panhandle, you can do $200-$300 a DAY without taxes. If you want to go underground, this is the life to assume. I have heard that on alternate Fridays, a "will work for beer" sign gets a good response.

These people are not stupid. And they ARE NOT homeless.