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About CVM
Community Voice Mail (CVM) provides voice mailboxes to phoneless people, enabling them to communicate with potential employers, landlords and human service providers. CVM currently distributes over 2,000 personalized voice mailboxes through more than 100 different human service agencies and programs throughout King Co.
CVM provides people in need with a personal, 7-digit phone number. CVM sounds just like an answering machine or phone company voicemail, allowing users to leave a personal and professional greeting for callers. A CVM phone number looks like any other number, and does not signal the user's economic status. Retrieving messages is easy: Simply dial the 7-digit number from any touchtone phone and enter a short PIN number. Users can hear messages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Mailbox numbers are available with area codes 206, 253 and 425.
Since Solid Ground initiated the program in 1991, CVM has made a profound impact on our community, helping low-income King County residents become more self-sufficient. A survey of CVM clients shows they achieve goals such as securing housing, employment, health care and access to other human services in one-third the time it takes those who have no voice mail.
Connecting to CVM
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Agencies: Any human service agency or program that serves people who have no phones can subscribe to Community Voice Mail. CVM staff provide a group of phone numbers to each subscribing agency and train direct service staff how to connect clients and to reassign voice mailboxes. To become a CVM participating agency, email us and we'll schedule an informational presentation and/or training. Subscribing agencies pay a small monthly fee of $1.50 per voice mailbox to offset program expenses.
- Individuals: CVM is available for free at over 100 participating agencies in King County. View the Google Map of CVM Participating Agencies and click on the red bubbles to find an agency offering free voice mail near you. CVM is also available directly to individuals. For DSHS clients, CVM is always free. For others, CVM is free for 3 months after which you may extend CVM service for $10 every 3 months. Scholarships are available for those unable to pay.
Seattle Community Voice Mail program is part of the CVM national network of sites, empowering people in crisis and transition by distributing free 24-hour voice mail nationwide — directly linking individuals to jobs, housing, safety and stability. CVM National Office Website: www.cvm.org.
Free CVM payphones:
Thanks to the generosity of independent payphone company PayTel Communications, there are now 71 payphones in King County that CVM clients can use at no cost to check their messages. The printable maps below show where you can find free CVM payphones in Seattle/King County. (Please note: these .pdfs are large and take a few moments to load.)
To access a CVM mailbox through one of these phones:
- Dial 206.675.2800
- Interrupt the greeting by pressing the star key
- Enter your 10-digit phone number and password
Other CVM resources:
Phone: 206.694.6771
Email: cvm@solid-ground.org
FAX: 206.694.6777
Address: Community Voice Mail
Solid Ground
1501 North 45th Street
Seattle, WA 98103-6708