A Call for Free Voice Messaging

Call me lucky. I got in on a "beta testing" program with a telecommunications company called Grand Central several years ago. Since then, Google acquired the services, renamed it Google Voice, and my participation continued — eventually becoming invaluable to me at a time when I unexpectedly needed it most.

It's very cool — access to and control of your own "lifetime" phone number and incoming calls via the internet and a website. There are too many useful and fun options to list here (check the website), and it's all free. Of course, once the testing phases are complete, this very well might proceed to another of Google's ever-growing roster of paid services.

But for now, the program has allowed participants a number of invitations which can be personally extended to other people to also obtain the same kind of service. I've been glad to pass these on to others I know who can benefit the most.

When homeless, phones and calls can become a more important and problematic issue than you previously thought possible. Like anyone else, many matters vital to homeless individuals rely upon phone calls and messages. Homelessness too often prevents one from being able to consistently afford having a phone or keeping the service paid and continuously active. Even after phones and services are paid for, theft isn't uncommon. Then there's the real possibility of mysteriously losing the thing while constantly moving around. Thankfully, some progress is being made to extend phone service to more and more homeless persons.

While internet and computer access pose a similar difficulty, for some that remains an option via libraries, community centers and various public programs. Others, like myself, have personal laptops and Wi-Fi access in cafes.

The ability to get to voice messages online is an especial advantage, as is having one's own consistent phone number. Plus, with the above service, calls can be re-directed (aka "forwarded") to any phone using any other service. Even more than one at a time. This means that you can temporarily route expected calls to any phone available for that purpose, so that calls can actually be taken, too, and not just collected in voice mail.

Google has since been maintaining a specific amount of these accounts specifically meant to provide homeless people with these benefits and has worked with Project Homeless Connect to get this program in the right hands. Earlier this year it brought the program to homeless vets.

The only "problem" appears to be that these benefits are only available in some places, like the San Francisco and Washington, D.C. areas.

Community Voice Mail is a service that also originated years ago, but was developed from the bottom up and expressly to help homeless, poor or other "in transition" persons. About 40,000 people have accounts now and in a LOT more places — like 45 U.S. cities and, announced this month, in Canada.

It's simpler than the Google Voice service, concentrating chiefly on providing a number for a person, taking the necessary messages and allowing the person to access those messages. But like Google Voice, it will even email notifications of waiting messages.

Participating agencies will assist people in getting started. Plus, if and when a Community Voice Mail client succeeds at obtaining his or her own phone and messaging services, the old number can be "recycled" for use by others.

Please pass this message along to those you know who may need it!

Photo credit: iamaruntimeerror