They might not have money, they might not have jobs, they might not have addresses, and they might not have typical security, but the homeless community in San Francisco will soon find themselves armed with lifelong phone numbers and access to vitally important voice mail.
Google\'s Grand Central gives San Francisco homeless phone numbers and voicemail access. Credit: Moriza/Flickr.
According to San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, providing the city’s homeless with phone and messaging capabilities and access to health care “is an extraordinary step forward” for the city in its ongoing commitment to comprehensively address the needs of one its most vulnerable communities.
The phone and messaging facilities social program has come about via Google Inc.’s Grand Central telephony service in conjunction with Mayor Newsom’s international Homeless Connect project (PHC).
The program was launched yesterday (February 28) at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco alongside an equally important California Pacific Medical Center program to give homeless women access to potentially lifesaving mammogram examinations.
Via the project and the improved quality of life, self sufficiency and empowerment it will provide, Mayor Newsom hopes to move one step closer to housing all of the city’s homeless, which remains his driving ambition.
The Grand Central service will provide the homeless with free phone numbers and voice mail access, which will allow users to record personal greetings and also check for inbound call messages from any phone.
Google has said that it is a firm believer in applying the power of technology in order to improve the daily lives of individuals and communities as a whole and that Grand Central will help San Francisco’s homeless community to remain in touch with family members, friends, social workers, health care providers and potential employers.
roseFeb 29th, 2008 - 18:50:03
i think that is a great idea, because here where i live, i deal with the homeless coming thru our jail system for city ord, and other minor fractions, they have cell phone but tell me' when i get my check or get some money i can talk to some of my people' and they allwasys want us to call some one when we ask for a family emerg #
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