Brier Dudley's Blog

Brier Dudley offers a critical look at technology and business issues affecting the Northwest.

February 28, 2008 5:19 PM

Is Google copying Seattle non-profit's voicemail project?

Google's getting kudos today for a new service offering free voice mail for homeless people in San Francisco, a program highlighting its GrandCentral messaging service.

It's a great idea - just ask Community Voice Mail, a Seattle-based philanthropy that's been providing the same service since 1991 and now reaches 40,000 people in 320 cities and towns across the country.

The program started off with a voicemail system donated by Active Voice and more recently has benefitted from more than $3.5 million worth of support from Cisco.

It didn't get the press of Google's announcement, but Community Voice Mail on Monday won the nonprofit world's equivalent of an Oscar, an "excellence award" from the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy in New York. The award recognized CVM's partnership with Cisco.

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Posted by Steve Albertson, Community Voice Mail

8:49 PM, Feb 28, 2008

Thanks! We're really proud of the work we've been doing at Community Voice Mail all these years, but we're also glad when more resources are brought to the table to help people actively trying to help themselves. Millions of people in the U.S. are without a phone number to put on job applications, etc., and we need to change that. Glad that Google's helping out.

Thanks again for your post...

Steve

Posted by Brier

10:47 AM, Feb 29, 2008

Sure thing Steve, it's a neat story

Posted by Keith Gormezano, QuickBooks Trainer in Seattle

2:52 PM, Mar 04, 2008

The important thing is that people are getting free voice mail. It doesn't matter who is doing it.

One thing should be noted is that you can a free local fax number through K7.net http://www.k7.net, a local company and JFax http://www.jfax.com . Faxes are converted into e-mail.

I make it a point to remind my QuickBooks and Quicken training clients who are setting up new businesses or need a fax number to receive resumes but don't want to be flooded with junk faxes that these services are available.