Here’s how Call Me Positive works: Call a phone number and tell us the most positive moment from your day. We compile the messages and add them to the podcast. Help us brighten each other’s lives!
I was sitting in the waiting room at the Providence VA Medical Center when I first came up with this idea. They have a TV playing health-related videos, and sometimes there’s a phone number at the end of the commercials. I did a little research after I left the VA, and sure enough, you can set up a phone number through Google free of charge.
I pitched my crazy idea to Carolyn that night, we hammered out a name for the project, we recorded episode 1, and I had everything up and running by the time I went to bed.
The time to explore this project further presented itself in April of 2020 during the early months of the COVID-19 crisis in the United States. The news coming from around the world was bleak. I decided Call Me Positive could serve as a crucial counter by enabling callers and listeners to reflect on positive experiences. I began pushing the podcast out more and inviting individuals to submit their positive messages. I also coordinated with Community Care Alliance to make Call Me Positive their virtual mental health activity for May Is Mental Health Month. This meant the podcast and website would be shared by all behavioral health nonprofits across Rhode Island in May. As part of this, I pledged to donate all funds earned by advertising between April 1, 2020 and July 1, 2020 to Community Care Alliance’s Family Support Center.
I sense this is only the beginning of this project!