Announcement

TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL/Technology For All-Houston
Occasional Update - February 14, 2002 - http://www.techforall.org | http://houston.techforall.org
"We Bring Technology to Underserved Communities"

Here's a quick update of news and information regarding Technology For All and Technology For All-Houston and our collaborative efforts to bring technology and the opportunities it provides to underserved communities. We hope this assists in your understanding of what we do and how we hope to do our part in making the world a better place. Important information for Community Technology Centers is located at the bottom. If you like this newsletter, please feel free to e-mail it to a friend.

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News and Updates

Technology For All - 2002 Highlights

Community Technology Center (CTC) Development and Support

Now have supportive relationships with over 300 CTCs in 56 US Cities including 170 in Houston and 90 in Colorado
Developed National Alliance Partnership with the Beaumont Foundation of America www.bmtfoundation.org
Almost 50,000 persons are served each week by community technology centers receiving services from TFA

Online Content

Working with Skillsoft, expanded online content offerings to include over 4000 courses in IT, business skills and personal growth
Initiated Marketing Campaign for online content in collaboration with America Connects Consortium www.americaconnects.net
Revised and upgraded online support tools for using SkillSoft content for workforce development with CTCs. Manuals include those for Administrators, Learning Coaches and Students as well as numerous other resources to assist CTCs in the development of a solid workforce development initiative
Revised and upgraded web siite with new features..... www.techforall.org

Key Program Partners

Community Technology Centers Network www.ctcnet.org
Association for Community Networking www.afcn.org
America Connects Consortium www.americaconnects.net
TFA-Houston http://houston.techforall.org
TFA-Colorado http://www.jaredpolis.org/prog.tfa.shtml
Digital Vision - Cleveland http://www.geocities.com/clevelanddigitalvision/
Other Cities with CTCs affiliated with TFA include Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Honolulu, New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago....

Other News....

Key relationships under development with for profit corporations to outsource jobs with livable wages to CTC clients across the US
Participated in "Summit" of Texas Community Technology Leaders
Attended CTCNet Annual Conference
Attended SkillSoft e-Learning Conference
Participated in America Connects strategic planning event
Elected Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell to the Board of Directors

Funding and Support

RGK Foundation
Washington Mutual
M. D. Anderson Foundation
Brown Foundation
West Endowment
Vivian Smith Foundation
Jared Polis Foundation
BP
Cisco
Microsoft
Skillsoft
Centra
Delphi Marketing
FYI-Net
TFA Board of Directors
and many more.....

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Technology For All-Houston - 2002 Highlights

Community Technology Center (CTC) Development and Support

Established 35 New Community Technology Centers (CTCs) in collaboration with grass roots community based organizations across the Greater Houston area, Upgraded 13 CTCs .....More than double 2001
Since 1998, TFA-Houston has helped develop 171 CTCs and upgraded 18 of those
Over 25,000 persons are served each week by community technology centers developed and supported by TFA-Houston

Volunteer Capacity

Volunteer Support in 2002 increased by a factor of ten saving hundreds of thousands of dollars and providing valuable support to community technology initiatives across the greater Houston area
TFA-Houston engaged 458 separate volunteers who....
Provided 9505 hours of volunteer service
$162,601 of value in services provided by volunteers

Workforce Development - STREET U

With HATAC, TTOI and TFA received $250,000 matching grant from the Brown Foundation for the STREET U initiative
Initiated planning and implementation of STREET U
Initiated matching grant campaign
Must Raise an additional $47,000 by May 2003

Recycling and Distribution Services

Moved Recycling/Distribution Center (RDC) to Milby site in East End with support from Shell, WAMU and others
Changed from paid staff to Volunteer Operation using leased equipment (Saved $125,500 over 2001 Expenses for RDC and more than doubled annual capacity over 2001)
Received 1616 Computers ($224,515 in value) from 23 donors
Redeployed 806 computers ($112,590 in value) 730 to CTCs
Distributed 76 computers to Project Grad Students in collaboration with Rice University and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
Recently became a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) allowing TFA-Houston to better serve its corporate and community clients across the city and across the U.S in collaboration with TFA.

Community Technology Leadership and Advocacy

Developed new TFA-Houston website at http://Houston.techforall.org
Hosted CTC Seminar at UH in November 2002
Hosted four best practice seminars for CTCs (have already held two in 2003)
Worked with the University of Houston College of Technology (UHCT) to pilot "Technology in the Community" course and consulted with UHCT regarding proposed NSF project to engage graduate level students in community technology capacity building with CTCs across the City

Organizational Capacity Building

Began development of TFA-Houston Advisory Board
Completed capacity building analysis with board and staff
Concentrated development efforts to support goals and performance targets

Community Outreach/Misión Milby

Completed community analysis of Pecan Park community in Houston's east end with support from WAMU and the RGK Foundation
Opened Misión Milby CTC in Houston's East End
Installed high-speed fiber connection that will allow for the creation of additional services to the surrounding community
Established collaborative service provider relationships with Misión Milby Community Development Corporation (MMCDC), Houston Community College, the Mayor's Anti-Gang Task Force, and the LULAC National Education Service Center

Key Program Partners (see http://houston.techforall.org/submenus/partners.html )

University of Houston College of Technology
Rice University
Texas Southern University
The Telecom Opportunity Institute
Houston Area Technology Advancement Center
Houston Technology Center
Houston Independent School District
LULAC National Education Service Center
Houston Community College
STREET U
Mision Milby Community Development Corporation
Mayor's Anti-Gang Task Force

Funding and Support

Shell
Enterprise Products
CompuCycle
Hamman Foundation
Rockwell Fund
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church
United Methodist Church
University of Houston College of Technology
Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund
Lubrizoil
Houston Endowment
Powell Foundation
FYI-Net
C-TREC
Light Charitable Trust
TFA-Houston Board of Directors
and many more.......

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Important Info for CTCs and CBOs

TFA SkillSoft content now includes 4000 online courses --- TFA recently expanded its online content offerings for CTCs. In addition to the previously offered IT courses with 55 certification tracks, TFA's Skillsoft content now includes courses in business skills such as "email essentials", safety and disaster preparedness as well as hundreds of course for personal growth. CTCs wishing to utlize SkillSoft courses for workforce development, staff training or general community outreach are encouraged to contact Jessica Wisnoski, TFA's Manager of Online Content at Jessica.Wisnoski@techforall.org or by calling 713.961.0012. For more information on the TFA website go to http://www.techforall.org/announcements/elearning.htm A new updated course catalog will be uploaded to the site soon. Corporations and business customers wishing to utilize SkillSoft Content are encouraged to go to www.skillsoft.com .

SimHouston --- CTCs located within the City of Houston can take advantage of a new resource provided by the city. CTC clients with a library card can do word processing, spreadsheets and have an email account through this unique program provided by the city. For more information go to http://www.simhouston.com . TFA/TFA-Houston has already hosted one seminar for 19 Houston area CTCs and is planning more. To sign up for the next seminar call Pam Garder, Program Manager, at 713.961.0012.

Beaumont Foundation of America --- TFA is a national alliance partner of the Beaumont Foundation of America. TFA affiliated organizations wishing to apply for a Beaumont Foundation grant of computers for your school or community organization are encouraged to contact Douglas Caldwell at TFA (713.961.0012) (douglas.caldwell@techforall.org )for more information.

CTCNet StartUp Manual Revised --- Community Technlogy Centers wishing to evaluate their programs and serve their communities more effectively are encouraged to check out the newly revised CTCNet StartUp Manual. Chapters of particular interest to CTCs include, Determining Program Focus, Staffing, Budgeting and Funding, and Scheduling, Outreach and Self-Assessment.
http://www.ctcnet.org/toc.htm

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Websites of Interest to CTCs

DIGITAL EQUITY Portal --- This new portal has been created by the National Institute for Community Innovations in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education PT3 Digital Equity Task Force. http://www.pt3.org/ The Digital Equity Portal presents a collection of educational resources addressing inequitable access to technology tools, computers and the Internet. Each resource has been screened by experts in digital equity and professionally catalogued to help you find high quality material that addresses the specific needs of your community technology initiative. http://digitalequity.edreform.net/home/

Matrix for Learning: Adult Education --- For CTCs working with adults this new "Matrix for Learning" addresses the need of CTCs for easily accessible resources to incorporate technology into adult basic education programs. Here you will find lesson plans and activity ideas, a variety of learning resources for both teachers adn students, model projects and assessment tools.
http://clc.unhny.org/resources/adulted_matrix.cfm#

CTC Field Innovation Research Tools and Products --- Last year the America Connects Consortium awarded Field Innovation Grants to CTCs around the US. The grants supported the CTC development of products and resources to meet the needs of community technology centers. Several of the products created are excellent and can be downloaded for use in your CTC.
http://www.americaconnects.net/research/FIG_descrips.asp

We welcome your feedback! Contact Will Reed at 713.316.5761 or by email at will.reed@techforall.org

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TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL/Technology For All-Houston
http://www.techforall.org
http://houston.techforall.org

This newsletter is produced by Technology For All especially for our donors, friends and community technology collegues.

Technology For All (TFA) and Technology For All-Houston (TFA-Houston) are Houston based non-profit organizations focused on bringing technology and the opportunities it provides to underserved communities. TFA has supportive relationship with with over 300 community based organizations in 42 US cities. Since 1997, TFA-Houston has assisted 170+ community based organizations create and develop community technology centers that bring technology and the opportunities it provides to Houston's underserved communities. To make a donation go to https://app.etapestry.com/happ1/Technology%20For%20All/OnlineGivingCreditCard.html. To learn more call 713.961.0012 or email info@techforall.org.

If you do not wish to receive the Technology For All occasional update send an email to Will.Reed@techforall.org with the words "please remove" in the subject line.