Press Release - March 24, 2004

Houston, Texas - (Nov 4, 2004) – The Technology For All-Houston Community Technology Award was created in 2002. The Award is designed to honor and recognize the significant accomplishments and the outstanding service provided by Houston area Community Technology Centers.

On November 4, 2004, Janet Horn, Board President for Technology For All-Houston presented Kathy West, Director of the Macedonia Outreach & Career Center with the 2004 Community Technology Center Award. The award was presented at TFA-Houston’s 3^rd Annual Community Technology Conference, “Building Connected Communities”, held at the William V. Phillips YMCA Training Center in Houston, Texas. Keynote speakers for the event were Kavita Singh, Executive Director, Community Technology Centers Network, Amy Borgstrom, Program Officer, Technology Opportunities Program, U. S. Department of Commerce, and Dr. Carlos Solis, rice University, Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning.

The Macedonia Outreach & Career Center is a multi-purpose center for providing adult programs that are prevention oriented, fun and structured to address the root cause of many health and socioeconomic problems. Their program is designed to develop and increase job skills and promote self-sufficiency. Macedonia Outreach was presented with a CTCNet membership, a complimentary registration for the CTCNet Conference to be held June 16-19, 2005 in Cleveland, Ohio, a complimentary 1^st class airfare by Continental Airline and a cash prize.

TFA-Houston congratulates the Macedonia Outreach & Career Center board, staff and volunteers for outstanding service to their community.

Technology For All-Houston would like to congratulate the following Community Technology Centers that were recognized as finalists and received honorable mention awards:

The mission of A+ Educational Research & Development is to promote adult computer and web-based literacy; to reduce the unemployment rate through increased marketability of the unemployed; to reduce the welfare rolls thus promoting community econ9omic development; and to create a better-educated workforce by encouraging participants to further their education at a local community college or trade school. The CTC is serving the community of Clute, Texas.

M.D. Anderson YMCA has an average of 200 participants per week that utilize their computer lab for classes, programs, staff development, recreation, and as a resource for staff development.

The NAACP Family Development Center has undertaken the challenge of increasing access to computers, telecommunication technologies and related computer-based training for residents in the 3^rd ward community.

Technology For All (TFA) is a nonprofit initiative focused on empowering low income communities through the tools of community technology and community development. TFA works with over 300 grass roots community organizations operating community technology centers (CTCs) across Houston and in fifty-six other U.S. cities. TFA is a member of the Community Technology Centers Network and the Association for Community Networking. In addition to over 150 community based organizations operating CTCs, key Houston area program partners include the University of Houston College of Technology, The Telecom Opportunity Institute, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the Houston Technology Center and the Houston Area Technology Advancement Center.