Message From Our Director

Ann Forbes, Executive Director of the 24-Hr Alcohol/Drug HelpLine

What fun it has been to manage a volunteer program over the years! We started in 1979 with a dream, a board, and dedicated volunteers. In the last 26 years, we have had 670,792 callers asking a wide variety of questions about substance use and misuse. Our 843 volunteers have done a wonderful job of answering a myriad of questions. It has truly been rewarding to work with so many divergent personalities and professions. Our location in the Seattle area has let us draw from a large ethnic pool and a variety of colleges as well. We have had many challenges and successes in our program. We started with a card table and a phone line, and our volunteers have helped us every step of the way. When computers and technology came at us very rapidly, the volunteers were the ones showing us how to do it. This was a big learning curve for staff and continues to challenge us as we learn. It has been a wonderful journey and has provided us with "never a dull moment" and a sense of being there for callers from all parts of our state.

-Ann Forbes