Helpline - Resources

Did you know that every minute of every day you could pick up a phone in the Lawton-Fort Sill area and talk to someone who cares? You can. The United Way Helpline is Lawton's 24 hour Information & Referral/Crisis Intervention line and it's here for you!

24 hours a day, 365 days a year, you can talk to a trained listener. A kind, caring, compassionate, non-judgmental person. Someone trained to listen in many areas to include HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, sexual abuse, drugs and alcohol, depression, suicide and many others. No matter the topic, time of day, or circumstance, someone is always available.

Someone always has a need to talk to someone, to have someone to listen and not judge or give advice, and that is what Helpline does. Helpline began in 1970 as a project of the Comanche County Mental Association and Jr. League of Lawton. These organizations made the decision that such a line was needed in our community. They recognized that Lawton-Fort Sill needed someone else to listen during non-business hours and being available 24 hours a day allows us to handle all types of calls, from the crisis to the information call.

Currently volunteers range in age from 19 to in their 80's. Each volunteer is committed to giving at least 12 hours a month. What sets us apart from other crisis lines is being able to volunteer from the privacy of your own home. Our listeners do not travel to a command center in order to answer our phones. Callers are "patched" through to listeners wherever they may be and there is no chance of the caller knowing whom or where the listener is. Volunteers are always needed for both day and evening shifts, however before one can begin telephone service he or she must complete a mandatory training session. Training currently takes place in two, 2 evening sessions and one all day Saturday, where guest speakers will provide the information on crisis topics that the listener may be called upon to respond to, and will be available to answer the volunteers questions/concerns.

When someone feels the need to talk to someone our mission is to listen intently, assess the caller's situation, and hopefully refer the caller to an agency or organization that can best meet his or her need. We do this by utilizing the Directory of Community Resources otherwise known as the "Redbook". The Redbook is a biennial publication of the United Way Helpline that offers updated information on social service organizations, agencies, city offices, local and federal government offices, toll free hotlines, etc. With the information in this book our listeners can put the people in need, in touch with the agency/organization that can best meet their need.

The 2003-2004 directory is currently available for purchase at the United Way office, 1116 "A" Avenue, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the cost of $15.00.

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