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  • 2015-12-02 (xsd:date)
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  • Hotline Ping (de)
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  • Example:[Collected via e-mail and Facebook, December 2015] Let's make this go viral! Origins: On 20 November 2015 a Facebook user shared the above-reproduced graphic, urging fellow users to make it go viral and indicating that calls to the phone number 877-424-3838 would get any homeless veteran a place to live. With winter approaching (and renewed interest in homelessness among veterans due to an ongoing refugee crisis) the image and its claims became popular among Facebook users. The phone number 877-424-3838 indeed belonged to the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs), and the hotline's page described its range of services: Clearly, disseminating information about the hotline and its purposes served to potentially benefit some homeless veterans. However, the wording of the graphic potentially led readers to believe that a call placed to the line would ensure a homeless vet would receive immediate housing services; however, particularly in winter, it was important to understand the scope of the hotline and its limitations. While the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans provided access to counselors 24 hours a day and seven days a week, its primary function wasn't to directly provide housing for at-risk veterans. Counselors on the line possessed the ability to possibly connect veterans with local resources, but did not appear capable of directly arranging those resources. Local law enforcement agencies often engage homeless protection protocols during severe weather, such as New York City's Code Blue:Code Blue is a procedure that, above all else, aims to save lives, said DHS Commissioner Michele Ovesey. As we strengthen and maximize agency outreach efforts, we do so knowing the great importance, and urgency, of reaching as many vulnerable individuals as possible, Citywide. It's possible that a call placed to the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans would result in eventual help for a homeless vet, but 877-424-3838 might not be the best number to call for immediate assistance. In addition to the hotline, concerns about the immediate welfare of a homeless veteran directed to local law enforcement agencies could help determine if direct services were available. (en)
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