February 28, 2008

Helping the Homeless…with Technology?

I never would have expected slapping technology at the homeless would be helpful. In fact, when I first heard it, I expected that it would be a proposition that purported to help people by giving them technology when what they really needed was something like food. Or shelter. Or Jesus.

While those things may still be true, I’m impressed with Google’s plan to give homeless folks a free phone number with voice mail. (Kind of odd to find that news on MSN…but I digress.) As I said, I was at first rather skeptical. But then, as I read further, and realized that this was a tool that homeless folks could use to get a job (how do you schedule an interview if you can’t be reached) or keep in touch with their family, I was impressed. I am all for giving people tools that they can use to try make their lives work. No, it doesn’t solve all their problems. But it might help some…and I think that’s worth it.

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