ATLANTA – Georgia Relay, the free public service that enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking to place and receive telephone calls, welcomes Project Safe as the newest Georgia Relay Partner. Staff at the non-profit organization completed their Georgia Relay Partner training earlier this summer, and are now equipped to place and receive calls from Georgia Relay users.
Based in Athens, Project Safe is a non-profit organization working to end domestic violence through prevention and educational programs, crisis intervention, ongoing supportive services for survivors of domestic violence and their children, and advocacy. The organization began as a network of safe houses, and now features a range of services including a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, and Rapid Re-Housing Program.
The Georgia Relay Partner program seeks to improve communication between local businesses and residents who use Georgia Relay to place telephone calls. Georgia Relay Partners receive free training and materials to learn to answer and place Relay calls with confidence, making it easier to serve customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or who have difficulty speaking. Georgia Relay Partners also receive marketing materials to let Georgia Relay users know the company is Relay friendly.
“The crisis hotline at Project Safe is such an important resource for victims of domestic violence,” said Brendan Underwood, Georgia Relay outreach coordinator. “Not everyone understands how Relay works, and Relay users often experience hang-ups when calling businesses and organizations. The Georgia Relay Partner program eliminates the confusion and helps these companies connect with Relay users. Now, Project Safe is better prepared to assist Relay users in these emotional and vital times.”
“Being a Georgia Relay Partner is very important to us,” said Tangela Furgeson, associate director at Project Safe. “We are dedicated to helping and supporting each and every person who needs us, and being able to effectively communicate with Georgia Rely users allows us to help more people.”
To date, more than 200 local companies have become Georgia Relay Partners. To view a current list, or to request Georgia Relay Partner training for your business, please visit http://georgiarelay.org/relay-partner-program/.
Photo Caption: Georgia Relay outreach coordinator Brendan Underwood with Tangela Furgeson, associate director at Project Safe.
About Georgia Relay
Georgia Relay is the free public service that enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking to place and receive telephone calls. Georgia Relay is available 24/7 by dialing 7-1-1 and is overseen by the Georgia Public Service Commission. For more information about Georgia Relay and its services, please visit www.georgiarelay.org or call 1-866-694-5824 (Voice/TTY).