Five county 'Hotline' is now on hold

Efforts to start a crisis 'hotline' for residents in a five-county area have been stalled by a lack of funding, said organizer Sherry Cahn of Sparta. The toll-free, 24-hour-a-day hotline number will serve as an information and referral service in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Watauga and Wilkes counties.

The mission of the hotline is to provide free telephone support to those in crisis situations or those seeking information and aid with a variety of personal and psychological needs.

Cahn said last year that she expected to first start taking calls on the 'hotline' number and providing services in the fall of 2008, but now has postponed that effort indefinitely.

The nonprofit organization that will serve as the umbrella for the hotline, High Country Help Center, has been registered with the government and thus far has raised less than $1,000 toward the goal of $160,000. Two fund-raisers have been held, both 4X4 poker runs, but neither was successful in raising large amounts of money.

 

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