Correct, the NARP hotline began in the early 1980s when there was no better way to disseminate urgent news... no www, no email, and almost no BBS (if anyone remembers what those were). I made the suggestion of a hotline at a national NARP meeting in DC.
NARP was at the 417 New Jersey Av. SE address and had two sequential telephone numbers. The second number, 202 546-1551, was switched to a machine on nights and weekends that played the message usually tape-recorded by Barry Williams, the assistant director. One caller at a time, and callers paid the long-distance charges which were 5 to 20 cents depending on where one called from and the length of the recording. Over the course of a year, it added up. Barry left in 1989 after 10 years of service.
Some years later the telephone arrangement for the hotline was changed, and NARP has moved offices two or three times - with different telephone numbers.