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| Gay, Lesbian, National Hotline
1-888-THE-GLNH (843-4564) TOLL FREE!!!
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| NEW EXPANDED HOURS!
Monday - Friday 4pm-midnight, Saturday noon-5pm EST.
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| The Gay & Lesbian National Hotline is a
non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the
gay and lesbian community by offering free and totally anonymous
information, referrals and peer-counseling. The Gay & Lesbian National
Hotline offers free and anonymous services by use of a toll-free telephone
number. Callers will be able to speak directly to a trained volunteer who
will be able to access a national database of referrals specific to the
gay and lesbian community. |
| Currently, our database already contains
over 18,000 listings, and is growing daily. This database contains
referrals on groups and organizations of every imaginable type (political,
religious, sports, professional, etc.). It also houses information on many
gay-friendly businesses, restaurants, hotels and clubs as well as doctors,
lawyers and therapists. |
| In addition to using conventional telephone
lines, callers will also be able to access information and leave questions
by utilizing the internet. Many callers, especially young people, find the
added anonymity of a computer to be more comfortable. |
| And just as critical as the information and
referrals that will be provided, will be our peer-counseling services.
Trained in effective listening techniques, our volunteers will be able to
talk directly with our callers about the various feelings that concern
them most. Many times, a young person just coming out has no where they
feel they can turn for help. Having a trained and compassionate volunteer
who wants to listen can make a tremendous difference. |
| Our volunteer operators will also be able to
deal not only with important AIDS information and education, but also with
the stress and anxiety that many people, HIV positive and negative alike,
are dealing with. Fortunately there are many resources currently available
for a caller to ask a basic AIDS question, but there are very few services
for people who just need to talk about their fears and frustrations. The
Hotline is a place to call. |
| The Hotline was formed in the summer of 1995
after a review of existing local services showed that vast areas of the
country were not covered by a local gay or lesbian hotline, and where they
were, the hours were many times erratic and the services provided were
limited. Many of our current volunteers and members of our Board of
Directors have years of experience working with local switchboards doing
similar work. |
| It is the intent of the Hotline to also work
to build a strong network of support among the various local switchboards
and hotlines. Towards that goal, the Gay & Lesbian National Hotline
will always inform callers of the existence of a local switchboard, if one
exists. We also hope to act as a conduit for these various local
switchboards to share information among themselves. In this way, we will
be serving a national need while at the same time working to build a
strong base of support at the local level. |
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