Monday, December 06, 2004
Technology For All Occasional Update - November 2004
http://www.techforall.org
"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.
To support our work, go to www.techforall.org.
_______________
News and Updates
Macedonia Outreach Named 2004 CTC of the Year --- TFA-Houston recently recognized Macedonia Outreach and Career Center as the 2004 Community Technology Center of the Year. Serving Northeast Houston, Macedonia Outreach is lead by Katherine West and has been serving the community since 1999. Their website is located at www.macedoniaocc.com . Also recognized with Honorable Mention awards were the NAACP Family Technology Center and the M. D. Anderson YMCA in Houston and A+ Educational Research and Development in Clute, Texas More information about the honorees will soon be on the TFA website.
TFA Consolidates Offices --- In order to be more available to our clients, partner organizations and donors, TFA and TFA-Houston are consolidating all offices at TFA's Mission Milby CDC location in Houston's East End. The move is taking place over the next six weeks and will be finalized by mid-January. All TFA staff members can be reached through the main phone # at that office - 713.961.0012. The consolidated office is located at: 2220 Broadway Houston, Texas, 77012.
TFA Formalizes Social Enterprise Focus --- Since its inception in 1997 TFA-Houston and TFA have focused their efforts on the utilization of technology as a tool to empower low-income and under-resourced communities. In order to maintain and enhance that effort, TFA recently formalized its social enterprise focus. A social enterprise is an earned-income business or strategy undertaken by a nonprofit to generate revenue in support of its charitable mission. "Earned income" consists of payments received in direct exchange for a product, service or privilege. TFA's initial social enterprises include TFA-JobTech and TFA-STARRS, which is an acronym for Secure Technology Asset Recycling and Redeployment Services. With Compucycle as a new alliance partner TFA-STARRS can now offer corporations replacing technology assets unique advantages. By donating technology assets being replaced to TFA-STARRS, Corporations receive the following benefits: substantially lower cost of total ownership; Comprehensive inventory management and flexible reporting; Secure data removal (above DOD standards); Environmental protection through zero-landfill policy; national and international footprint; and community goodwill. Through our strategic alliances, TFA can customize our services to fit every customer's needs relating to inventory, collection, testing, auditing, recycling, end of lease, surplus and obsolete equipment, and redeployment of these assets to low-income and under-resourced communities. For more information about TFA-STARRS or TFA's other social enterprises, contact Douglas Caldwell (Douglas.Caldwell@techforall.org) or Jim Forrest (Jim.Forrest@techforall.org) at 713.961.0012.
Recent Donations to TFA --- TFA expresses thanks to its recent donors including the U. S. Department of Commerce, Jim and Nancy Gibbons, Continental Airlines, Rick Jenkins, Mike Lyon, Paula Martin, Mike Wittman, Rev. and Mrs. J. Michael Wheller, Linda Collins, United Space Alliance, James D. Fuchs Sr, Hertz Corporation, Latonia Carter, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, ENI Petroleum, GEMSA Loan Services and Cornerstone Recovery.To make a computer or other donation to Technology For All contact Douglas.Caldwell@techforall.org or call 713.961.0012.
_______________
Important Info for CTCs and CBOs
New Report "A Nation Online" --- The NTIA has just released the latest national digital divide report, A Nation Online To view the report go to http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/anol/NationOnlineBroadband04.htm Here is the executive summary: A nation online: Entering The broadband age As the Internet increasingly affects the daily lives of Americans and the U.S. economy, one of the greatest changes in recent years has been the rapid uptake of broadband technologies. Between the Census Bureau's Current Population Surveys conducted in September 2001 and October 2003, the number of households with Internet connections grew by 12.6 percent. The data reveals that a transition is underway from dial-up to high-speed Internet connections. The use of high-speed Internet connections grew significantly between 2001 and 2003 and more than offset the decline in dial-up users. For this reason, this report focuses on what Americans are doing with their high-speed connections. All the data for the study can be found at http://www.bls.census.gov/cps/computer/computer.htm .
TOP Program eliminated-TFA's TOP Grant Unaffected --- The Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) did not receive an appropriation in the just completed FY 2005 Consolidated (Omnibus) Appropriations bill. With over a quarter-billion dollars invested since 1994, the TOP program has successfully served as a catalyst for innovative nonprofit organizations and public institutions to tackle pressing social challenges using advanced information and communications technologies. The Program has leveraged over $313 million in non-Federal resources. During its operation, the Program made 610 grants. TFA's JobTech project, a TOP grantee, is unaffected by the elimination of future TOP funding.
Spam and the Nonprofit Community --- Check out this free online event from Tech Soup: The Impact of Spam on the Nonprofit Community www.techsoup.org/spamevent . Join one of the leading internet strategists for the nonprofit community Dr. Bill Pease, Chief Technology Officer of GetActive Software <www.getactive.com>, as he investigates the problems spam poses to nonprofits, and discusses best practices to ensure email communications reach supporters. Bill, along with event co-host Will Rodina, of the TechSoup Computer Security Forum,will help translate the fast-changing landscape of email deliverability and spam prevention into practical terms. These thought leaders will share stories and resources, as well as explore the latest trends in spam controls and effective communications. You will come away from this event with practical tips, tools, and resources for improving the deliverability of your email messaging and for defending your organization from the dangers of spam.
______________
Websites of Interest to CTCs
Natural Science for Kids --- http://www.acnatsci.org/kids/index.html
Health Headquarters --- http://www.accessexcellence.org/HHQ/
TexasLawHELP.org --- http://www.texaslawhelp.org/TX/index.cfm
101 Tools for Tolerance --- http://www.tolerance.org/101_tools/index.html
Bank Street's Guide to Literacy --- http://www.bankstreet.edu/literacyguide/main.html
UNESCO World Heritage Centre --- http://whc.unesco.org/
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
http://www.techforall.org
"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.
To support our work, go to www.techforall.org.
_______________
News and Updates
Macedonia Outreach Named 2004 CTC of the Year --- TFA-Houston recently recognized Macedonia Outreach and Career Center as the 2004 Community Technology Center of the Year. Serving Northeast Houston, Macedonia Outreach is lead by Katherine West and has been serving the community since 1999. Their website is located at www.macedoniaocc.com . Also recognized with Honorable Mention awards were the NAACP Family Technology Center and the M. D. Anderson YMCA in Houston and A+ Educational Research and Development in Clute, Texas More information about the honorees will soon be on the TFA website.
TFA Consolidates Offices --- In order to be more available to our clients, partner organizations and donors, TFA and TFA-Houston are consolidating all offices at TFA's Mission Milby CDC location in Houston's East End. The move is taking place over the next six weeks and will be finalized by mid-January. All TFA staff members can be reached through the main phone # at that office - 713.961.0012. The consolidated office is located at: 2220 Broadway Houston, Texas, 77012.
TFA Formalizes Social Enterprise Focus --- Since its inception in 1997 TFA-Houston and TFA have focused their efforts on the utilization of technology as a tool to empower low-income and under-resourced communities. In order to maintain and enhance that effort, TFA recently formalized its social enterprise focus. A social enterprise is an earned-income business or strategy undertaken by a nonprofit to generate revenue in support of its charitable mission. "Earned income" consists of payments received in direct exchange for a product, service or privilege. TFA's initial social enterprises include TFA-JobTech and TFA-STARRS, which is an acronym for Secure Technology Asset Recycling and Redeployment Services. With Compucycle as a new alliance partner TFA-STARRS can now offer corporations replacing technology assets unique advantages. By donating technology assets being replaced to TFA-STARRS, Corporations receive the following benefits: substantially lower cost of total ownership; Comprehensive inventory management and flexible reporting; Secure data removal (above DOD standards); Environmental protection through zero-landfill policy; national and international footprint; and community goodwill. Through our strategic alliances, TFA can customize our services to fit every customer's needs relating to inventory, collection, testing, auditing, recycling, end of lease, surplus and obsolete equipment, and redeployment of these assets to low-income and under-resourced communities. For more information about TFA-STARRS or TFA's other social enterprises, contact Douglas Caldwell (Douglas.Caldwell@techforall.org) or Jim Forrest (Jim.Forrest@techforall.org) at 713.961.0012.
Recent Donations to TFA --- TFA expresses thanks to its recent donors including the U. S. Department of Commerce, Jim and Nancy Gibbons, Continental Airlines, Rick Jenkins, Mike Lyon, Paula Martin, Mike Wittman, Rev. and Mrs. J. Michael Wheller, Linda Collins, United Space Alliance, James D. Fuchs Sr, Hertz Corporation, Latonia Carter, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, ENI Petroleum, GEMSA Loan Services and Cornerstone Recovery.To make a computer or other donation to Technology For All contact Douglas.Caldwell@techforall.org or call 713.961.0012.
_______________
Important Info for CTCs and CBOs
New Report "A Nation Online" --- The NTIA has just released the latest national digital divide report, A Nation Online To view the report go to http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/anol/NationOnlineBroadband04.htm Here is the executive summary: A nation online: Entering The broadband age As the Internet increasingly affects the daily lives of Americans and the U.S. economy, one of the greatest changes in recent years has been the rapid uptake of broadband technologies. Between the Census Bureau's Current Population Surveys conducted in September 2001 and October 2003, the number of households with Internet connections grew by 12.6 percent. The data reveals that a transition is underway from dial-up to high-speed Internet connections. The use of high-speed Internet connections grew significantly between 2001 and 2003 and more than offset the decline in dial-up users. For this reason, this report focuses on what Americans are doing with their high-speed connections. All the data for the study can be found at http://www.bls.census.gov/cps/computer/computer.htm .
TOP Program eliminated-TFA's TOP Grant Unaffected --- The Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) did not receive an appropriation in the just completed FY 2005 Consolidated (Omnibus) Appropriations bill. With over a quarter-billion dollars invested since 1994, the TOP program has successfully served as a catalyst for innovative nonprofit organizations and public institutions to tackle pressing social challenges using advanced information and communications technologies. The Program has leveraged over $313 million in non-Federal resources. During its operation, the Program made 610 grants. TFA's JobTech project, a TOP grantee, is unaffected by the elimination of future TOP funding.
Spam and the Nonprofit Community --- Check out this free online event from Tech Soup: The Impact of Spam on the Nonprofit Community www.techsoup.org/spamevent . Join one of the leading internet strategists for the nonprofit community Dr. Bill Pease, Chief Technology Officer of GetActive Software <www.getactive.com>, as he investigates the problems spam poses to nonprofits, and discusses best practices to ensure email communications reach supporters. Bill, along with event co-host Will Rodina, of the TechSoup Computer Security Forum,will help translate the fast-changing landscape of email deliverability and spam prevention into practical terms. These thought leaders will share stories and resources, as well as explore the latest trends in spam controls and effective communications. You will come away from this event with practical tips, tools, and resources for improving the deliverability of your email messaging and for defending your organization from the dangers of spam.
______________
Websites of Interest to CTCs
Natural Science for Kids --- http://www.acnatsci.org/kids/index.html
Health Headquarters --- http://www.accessexcellence.org/HHQ/
TexasLawHELP.org --- http://www.texaslawhelp.org/TX/index.cfm
101 Tools for Tolerance --- http://www.tolerance.org/101_tools/index.html
Bank Street's Guide to Literacy --- http://www.bankstreet.edu/literacyguide/main.html
UNESCO World Heritage Centre --- http://whc.unesco.org/
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
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