CONTACT Needs Volunteers

Given the intensity of today’s turbulent times, veteran volunteers of the CONTACT Crisis HelpLines are well grounded and “giving back.” In their past darkest hours, some benefited from the same concerned HelpLine telephone listening. Today, they work the phones with compassion to “give back” by helping others one call at a time.

CONTACT HelpLines needs additional adult volunteers and will be conducting their enriching ten-week training sessions beginning September 16th in Cherry Hill and September 23rd in Pitman.

“I felt it was time to take myself out, but not my baby,” remembered “Deirdre,” currently an active volunteer serving two four hour shifts on the Crisis HelpLine phones each month. Like clients who call to receive help, all volunteers must remain anonymous in this report. “Contact Volunteers talked with me for hours and hours, which helped to build my dignity. I came to feel that I am somebody’s neighbor. Today, I volunteer because I know that if it could happen to me, it could happen to someone else.”

Other CONTACT active listening volunteers have similar experiences. “Debra,” reported that, ”Just their listening helped me to pull my thoughts together. I needed someone to talk to as a friend. Operating around the clock all the time, they were there when my friends weren’t.” “They helped me through a lot of rough spots,” said “Margaret.” “I was sick of advice. Sometimes you simply need someone to listen.” “Debra” added, “Volunteering has been an extremely rewarding experience. The training is way more than you could ever expect. You see outside yourself and realize the whole world…we need each other.”

Anonymity for callers makes success difficult to measure with conventional standards. According to the Hotline Director, Donna Ingraham,“It is vital that the call remains anonymous and confidential. This builds trust so that the caller can then begin to work through their feelings, explore options and make their own decisions.” The result? The caller’s stress is reduced, tension eased, crisis has been intervened and they begin to regain control over their life situations. It is the outcome of each call that CONTACT measures. Many callers do call again as they have found a place of help and hope. Trained volunteers use active listening skills to help callers deal with issues such as domestic violence, family relations, suicide, depression and loneliness. Information and referrals are provided. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week so no one is left unattended. “CONTACT is a haven of help and hope to people in need. Being there at those times when no one else is available is vital to the mental and emotional health of our callers,” Ingraham added.

Interested adult volunteers are urged to phone CONTACT Community HelpLines, (856) 795-5073 for additional information and to register for training. Evening classes, 6:30-9:30pm, will be conducted in Cherry Hill September 16 through November 18, and in Pitman September 23 through November 25.

The Crisis HelpLine phone for those needing help dealing with issues is (877) 266-8222 for clients in Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem Counties.

About Contact Community HelpLines
CONTACT community HelpLines provide non-judgmental, empathetic listening and appropriate information and referrals to individuals in need. Their mission is to promote well being in the four South Jersey counties: Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. Operated HelpLines include the Crisis HelpLine (877-266-8222), the Addictions Hotline of New Jersey (800-238-2333), the Reassurance senior citizen support program (856-795-4980) and TeenLine with peer listening volunteers (888-375-8336).

Volunteers are always welcome and may phone (856) 795-5073 for information or visit the web site www.contacthelplines.org.

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Author: Press Release