Colorado and Texas Honor Community Technology Centers of the Year Technology For All-Houston and Technology For All-Colorado Recognize the 2002 Community Technology Centers of the Year

Houston, Texas and Denver, Colorado- (November 19, 2002) – Houston’s East Side Village Community Learning Center (East Side Village) and the Mi Casa Resource Center for Women (Mi Casa) have been recognized as the “Community Technology Centers of the Year” for 2002 in Houston and in Colorado. Community Technology Centers (CTCs) are public spaces in underserved communities where computers and educational opportunities are provided to the community. CTCs serve an important role in many communities by bringing technology and the opportunities it provides to persons who might not otherwise have those opportunities.

Technology For All-Houston (TFA-Houston) and Technology For All-Colorado (TFA-Colorado) help support the development of community technology centers in their communities. Since 1998 Technology For All-Houston (TFA-Houston) has worked in collaboration with over 165 community-based organizations to help them create and develop CTCs. Technology For All-Colorado, a project of the Jared Polis Foundation, has helped support the creation and development of 75 CTCs since its organization as a Technology For All affiliate in 2000.

In choosing East Side Village as the 2002 Houston CTC of the Year, Dr. Will Reed, Technology For All’s President and Chief Executive Officer remarked, “The committee recommended ESVCLC because they offer a multitude of classes and training opportunities in service to Houston’s Third Ward community by leveraging their community credibility and collaborating with multiple organizations and service providers. In these difficult times of limited resources positive change in our communities can continue to take place by working together.”

Located in Denver, Colorado, the Mi Casa mission is “to advance self sufficiency primarily for low-income Latinas and youth. The center provides classes for women and children to enhance computer skills and maintain a competitive edge in the current job market and in school. According to Sam Owen, Executive Director of TFA-Colorado, and a panel of community leaders, “Mi Casa stands out by providing quality programs with excellent results and community impact. They collaborate well with other programs. Other organizations with CTCs recognized for their outstanding work by TFA-Colorado were the Center for Women’s Education and Employment (CWEE) for their computer skills education program and Youth with a Vision for their “learn and earn” a computer programs with youth.

Also recognized in Houston with “Honorable Mention” CTC of the Year awards were Destiny Bridge Builders that serves Southwest Houston and Texas Interfaith Housing.

About Technology For Al, Technology For All-Houston, and Technology For All-Colorado

Technology For All (TFA) is a national nonprofit initiative that brings technology and the opportunities it provides to underserved communities. In Houston Technology For All-Houston has helped create and develop over 165 community technology centers (CTCs) in collaboration with community-based organizations across the region. Houston program partners include the UH College of Technology, Rice University, Houston Area Technology Advancement Center, Houston Technology Center, The Telecom Opportunity Institute, and the LULAC National Education Service Center. In Colorado Technology For All-Colorado has helped create and develop seventy-five (75) CTCs. TFA-Colorado is a project of the Jared Polis Foundation and works closely with several key program partners including the Piton Foundation, Tango Investments, Community Resource Center and the Information Technology Resource Consortium. TFA’ s program partners include HUD’s Neighborhood Network Initiative, the America Connects Consortium, the Association for Community Networking, the Community Technology Centers Network, local TFA initiatives and supportive CTC relationships with over 300 community based organizations in forty-two US cities. To learn more, go to www.techforall.org or call 713.316.5764, 713.961.0012, or 303.442.1130.

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