Our Mission
Community Voice Mail empowers people in crisis and transition by distributing free, 24-hour voice mail access nationwide-directly linking people to jobs, housing, and stability.
April 2008
Welcome to the April eNewsletter of Community Voice Mail
On average, Community Voice Mail provides a free voice mail box to 40,000 people a year through 2,000 agencies in nearly 400 cities and towns nationwide.
In this issue:
- Community Voice Mail launches new site in Tulsa, OK: CVM covers new ground by opening a site in Tulsa, Oklahoma on February 14, 2008.
- Community Voice Mail receives national award: CVM and Cisco’s unique partnership was recognized on February 25, 2008 in New York City.
- National Client Survey: Where do our clients find phones? How many are using email? How important is CVM to our clients?
- Broadcast Messaging: Reaching clients with information they can use.
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CVM launches new site in Tulsa, OK
On February 14, 2008 the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless became the first agency in Oklahoma to launch Community Voice Mail. As CVM host, the Tulsa Day Center has partnered with 10 agencies serving 80 clients to-date. Currently the service capacity is 500 users. They plan to increase this capacity to 1,000 voicemail boxes in their second year of service.
The opening day luncheon was covered by local newspaper and television outlets. Above, Carl Irving, inaugural Tulsa CVM client checks his messages for the first time. He was pleasantly surprised by a special message that the Mayor of Tulsa had prerecorded for him.
This effort is another example of the Community Voice Mail National office working together with a local agency and local community foundation to ensure access to free voice mail connecting people in crisis. The Tulsa Day Center received their first two years of funding for CVM from the generosity of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation of Tulsa.
Are you or someone you know in need of voice mail service in Tulsa? Connect them with the Tulsa Day Center.
Do you know someone in need of voice mail services in another city? View our Map of Sites to connect with local agencies.
Want to know about launching a site in your city/town? Check out the Starting a CVM page on our website.
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Community Voice Mail receives CECP award
On February 25, 2008 Community Voice Mail was named as the recipient of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) Directors Nonprofit Excellence Award.
The prestigious award honors the effective partnership between Community Voice Mail and Cisco Systems and exemplifies a holistic approach to corporate philanthropy.
Each year CECP recognizes one nonprofit and two corporations at its annual celebration of National Corporate Philanthropy Day in New York City. She explains, “With the depth and breadth of Cisco’s contribution, we have been able to thrive instead of just survive and the result has been better service to more people.”
After the award ceremony, Jenn, above, joined corporate executives from Hasbro, PNC Financial Services Group, and Alcoa, Inc. to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange!
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National Client Survey
As part of our ongoing work to assess the impact and quality of our service , we recently sent a survey (by voice mail, of course) to CVM clients to find out how they access their voice mail box, whether they have a mobile phone or email address, and the kinds of information they'd like to receive via broadcast voice messaging. We also asked them what their life would be like without Community Voice Mail. The results were surprising:
Highlight of Results
- 59% of CVM clients have an email address that they use regularly
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21% of CVM clients own their own cell phone to make/receive calls
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71% of CVM clients use free phones most often to check their voicemail (ie, phones located at social service agencies or libraries)
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19% of CVM clients use payphones most often to check voicemail
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10% of CVM clients use their cell phone most often to check voicemail
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Words clients used to describe life without CVM:
- miserable
- terrible
- hard
- very difficult
- isolating
- chaotic
- bad
We're using this information to help shape new programs, including the use of broadcast voice messaging to provide our clients with valuable information and the integration of email with our voice mail systems.
Many clients took the time to leave feedback at the end of the survey to thank CVM and express their appreciation for the service.
“Having this service is helping me obtain messages from employers because I am looking for a job at the moment, so I do appreciate the help and I do appreciate the service very much. Thank you.”
“This program is very helpful and it's a blessing, and I advise others that if they don't have this service they need to get it because it's a lifesaver.”
“This voicemail has been a very good asset and I really appreciate it. Without this voicemail I don't know how I could go about my daily routine and try to improve my living conditions as well. Thank you.”
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Broadcast Voice and Email Messaging
Community Voice Mail provides more than a voice mail number; with broadcast messaging, we directly connect our clients with information they can use to improve their lives. Broadcast voice messaging allows CVM Managers and case managers at social service agencies to create a single message and automatically send it to the voice mail box of every CVM client in the area.
CVM Managers around the country are currently sending broadcast voice messages about job openings and training events, housing opportunities, emergency weather information, and benefits such as the current tax rebate and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) . Because nearly 60% of CVM clients indicate they also have an email address, we are also beginning to broadcast email messages to our online clients, providing them with more in-depth information to compliment the voice mail messages.
Broadcast messaging has been a great success, and clients are benefiting. During the 2007 tax season, Houston CVM sent nine voice and email messages about free tax-preparation services to 1,100 CVM clients in the area. More than 250 clients have acted upon this information and called to receive more information. This 22% response rate is huge, and it's unlikely CVM clients would have heard about this beneficial program if they didn't have a voice mail box. As Scot More (Houston CVM Manager ) notes, “Broadcast messaging WORKS! Not only for CVM users but for our partner agencies trying to help those work thru their communication barriers and successfully complete their programs.”
85% of the respondents from CVM’s recent Client Survey report information related to jobs and/or housing would be most helpful to their current situation. Using broadcast voice and email messaging, CVM Managers and case managers can reach clients with information about jobs and housing that can literally change their lives.
"We all really appreciate our CVM number and the 'leg-up' the new Broadcast Messaging has given us," according to Travis, a Houston CVM client, "Keep sending these messages."
Broadcast messaging is an effecient, effective communication tool, and we're only getting started!
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Community Voice Mail National
2901 Third Avenue, Suite 100
Seattle, WA 9812
www.cvm.org | 206.441.7872 | Fax 206.443.3755 |info@cvm.org
Empowering people in crisis and transition by distributing free, 24-hour personalized voice mail access nationwide - directly linking individuals to jobs, housing and stability.
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