Technology For All 
Occasional Update - September 2004

"Together We Empower Communities Through Technology"

Here's a quick update regarding Technology For All (TFA) and our collaborative efforts to empower residents of low-income and underserved communities through the tools of technology. Important information for Community Technology Centers (CTCs) and nonprofits doing community technology is located at the bottom. If you like this newsletter, please e-mail it to a friend.
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News and Updates

New Web Site is Up --- TFA's new and updated website is up. Check it out at www.techforall.org . There are still parts of the site under construction and minor errors are being corrected. TFA thanks J. Fagner for his leadership and creativity as TFA's webmaster. J. is a recent graduate of Texas Tech University.

Council Member Carol Alvarado Visits Mision Milby Community Technology Center ---City of Houston Council Member Carol Alvarado recently visited TFA's program office at Misión Milby. The purpose of the visit was the opportunity to visit regarding TFA's collaborative efforts with Mision Milby to serve the community and the installation of a community wireless network that is now underway. For more information about our work at Mision Milby go to http://www.techforall.org/mision_milby_cdc.html or http://www.techforall.org/mision_milby_ctc.html.

Building Community Connections --- Third Annual Community Technology Conference and Awards presentation - Thursday, November 4, 2004 --- Information about TFA's Third Annual Fall Conference can be accessed at http://www.techforall.org/upcoming_events.html . TFA thanks Sim Desk Technologies for its support of the conference and the YMCA of Greater Houston for the use of the YMCA Training Center. Keynote speakers will be Kavita Singh, Executive Director of CTCNet, Amy Borgstrom with the Department of Commerce, and Carlos Solis with Rice University. TFA will be recognizing the Houston area Community Technology Center of the Year at the Conference. The CTC of the Year will receive a CTCNet Membership, registration for the CTCNet Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio in June and roundtrip airfare.

Recent Grants and Computer Donations --- TFA received recent grants from the Rowan Foundation, TARGET grant, SimDesk Technologies, the M. D. Anderson Foundation, Jack Trotter and Will and Karen Reed. Computer donations have come from Naomi Hewitt, Tom LaFaver, Ed Napinski, Charlie Porter, and the Williams and Bailey Law Firm.

Congratulations to the East End Education Project --- TFA and Mision Milby CDC (MMCDC) worked closely with the LULAC National Educational Service Center (LNESC) on the East End Education Project's Back to School Event at Mision Milby. The event, which took place on Saturday, August 14 attracted over 600 participants from the community. In addition to TFA, MMCDC and LNESC, community partners at the event included the Children's Museum, Houston Community College, the Houston Public Library, Houston Independent School District and many more.


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Important Info for CTCs and CBOs

CTC Brown Bag -- Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Children's Museum of Houston Project Accelerate After school Resources for CTCs

12:00 noon to 1:30 pm @ Mission Milby CDC
2220 Broadway
Houston, Texas 77012

The CTC Brown Bag is a monthly event for community technology leaders on the Fourth Wednesday of each month except November and December. For more information call Pam Gardner at 713.961.0012.



AIR Houston --- An acronym for Accessibility Internet Rally, AIR is a web design contest focused on creating web sites that are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities who may use assistive technology to browse the web. The purpose of the AIR program is to raise awareness and skills within the technology sector about how and why to make technology applications accessible. AIR Houston is training teams now to develop nonprofit web sites. For more information go to http://www.knowbility.org/air-houston/

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Websites of Interest to CTCs

Children's Museum of Houston Project Accelerate --- Several Houston area CTCs participated in the testing of these resources for CTCs with After School programs. Check these out at http://www.cmhouston.org/accelerate.html and click on "activities" for some great tools to help children with math comprehension.

Technology and Learning Grants Database --- This magazine for educators has a grants database that also includes potential resources for C TCs. For more information go to http://techlearning.com/resources/grants.jhtml

Labor in the 21st Century ---The Department of Labor provides a comprehensive website for classroom study, with one part about Labor Day. Click on "About DOL" in the right hand menu to find Educational Resources and a History of Labor Day. Students can also find helpful information on the American Worker and America's Jobs. "Career Voyages" provides excellent information on future high demand jobs that will offer growth, better wages, and a brighter future. Teachers will find current events going on in the Department of Labor as well as activities of Secretary Chao under "In Focus." This is a great site for cross curricular study in American History, American Government, Statistics, and Vocational Education. http://www.dol.gov/

Join CTCNet today - TFA encourages community technology centers to join the Community Technology Centers' Network. For more information, go to www.ctcnet.org .

Support our Program Partners --- For a complete list of TFA and TFA-Houston program partners, go to http://www.techforall.org/program_partners.html

We welcome your feedback! Contact Will Reed at 713.961.0012, x102 or by email at will.reed@techforall.org .

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TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL/Technology For All-Houston

This newsletter is produced by Technology For All especially for our donors and friends.

Technology For All (TFA) and Technology For All-Houston (TFA-Houston) are Houston based non-profit organizations working together to empower underserved communities through the tools of technology. TFA has supportive relationships with over 325 community based organizations operating CTCs in 56 US cities. Since 1997, TFA-Houston has assisted 185 community based organizations create and develop community technology centers that bring technology and the opportunities it provides to Houston's underserved communities. TFA-Houston operates its own CTC at Mision Milby in Houston's East End. To make a donation click on the donate now button below. 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.

Copyright 2004 Technology For All, Inc. All rights reserved.

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