Contact:	Arlene Klemow	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
	908/301-1899	June 29, 2009

 

Crisis Hotline Hires New Operations Director

Westfield — CONTACT We Care, New Jersey’s award-winning 24-hour crisis hotline is pleased to announce that Lee McDermott Schaefer of Westfield has joined CONTACT as the new part-time Operations Director. She will be managing the agency’s administrative office and assist with fundraising.

Lee earned a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management from The New School University in New York and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from New York University.

Prior to joining CONTACT she worked as the Operations Manager and Development Associate for the League of Young Voters, a non-profit that empowers young people nationwide to participate in the democratic process.

A 1999 graduate of Westfield High School, Lee and her husband Joe and daughter Alice have recently moved back to Westfield from Brooklyn.

Named the “Best Statewide Volunteer Organization” by The Governor’s Office of Volunteerism, CONTACT We Care provides hope and save lives. Volunteers for the organization respond to more than 12,000 calls per year on a wide variety of issues including abuse, addiction, anxiety, depression, economic and family problems, loneliness, physical illness, relationship problems, sexual orientation, and suicidal thoughts. The highly trained volunteers offer a compassionate, listening ear to anyone who calls.

Part of a nationwide network of crisis hotlines affiliated with CONTACT USA and internationally with Lifeline International, CONTACT We Care is the primary responder in New Jersey to calls made to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline numbers, 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE. The organization is dedicated to preventing suicide and making a positive difference in people’s lives.

For more information about volunteering, visit the website www.contactwecare.org or call 908/301-1899.