Out of Book "Enabled in Words"
ISBN: 0-97665560-0-0
A Labor of
Love, By Clive Soden
Donald E.Pierce is not in it for the money. His paycheck comes in the form of gratitude from his callers. Donald is way ahead of his competition. In fact, he doesn't have much competition, because his callers are not the type most organizations seek to improve their bottom line.
Donald is the Founder/President of "www.AHandicappedHelpline.org", a
Non-Profit Organization/ Public Charity, 24/7 organization which gives free information to people with disabilities/ handicapped - many of them homeless and poverty - stricken."I'm doing it for the poor who don't know where their next meals are coming from, "Donald said. His organization helps people across the United States and also in Canada.
One of Donald's callers is a 70 year old lady with diabetes. She needed a wheelchair because hers was broken. Donald gave her three phone numbers. Later that week, the lady called back and said, "I'm sitting in my new wheelchair right now, God Bless your Organization." This is how Donald gets paid. It brought tears to my eyes," Donald recalled.
Donald's strategy is to give a caller three numbers. Then he tells the caller, if a phone call doesn't give results, to ask the person on the phone for three more numbers. This strategy has apparently paid off, because for the 10,000 or so calls he's logged, he's received no complaints.
Donald does more than just give out phone numbers. He shows shows a genuine interest in his callers and let's them know that someone cares. "I listen with care and give them hope, so that they feel better when they get off the phone." For instance, over a period of three weeks, Donald and his assistant, Tina talked to 35 year old who was suffering from agoraphobia - a fear of being out in public. "We finally managed to make her realize that there was much to be enjoyed outside those four walls".
Helping people help others is also something Donald's organization does. On one occasion, a 76-year old lady made calls over a five - day period regarding a homeless man in a wheelchair with multiple sclerosis. The lady would feed the man when she saw him in her neighborhood. "We were able to help her by giving her names and numbers of different social services agencies in her area. Donald said.
Donald who is now 50, is able to give guidance to his callers and to "listen with care" because he himself is disabled/ handicapped. An automobile accident in 1978 caused traumatic brain injury and left Donald partially paralyzed on his right side. "My right arm is just hanging around." He jokes. His speech is slow, but he can still get his message across. "I have to think about what to say and then to say it, at the same time" he said.
Like his callers, Donald has troubles making ends meet. His income is from Social Security Disability and an occasional donation. More than half of his income goes into keeping his business running. "Cash donations are always needed and welcomed." He has four lines that support his Help Line: 1-888-820-HELP (4357). In addition Web site address for A Handicapped Help Line is www.ahandicappedhelpline.org. One of Donald's goals is to help remove barriers. He feels there is discrimination towards people with disabilities, and a lot of people avoid dealing with them and turn the other way. "They shut down when they hear the word 'handicapped', and my goal is to help break them out of the closet."
