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HUD's Neighborhood Networks PartnershipsNovember 2000National Private Sector Partnerships: As announced by President Clinton during the April, 200 New Markets tours and Vice President Gore at the June, 2000 Empowerment Zone Conference, HUD has received commitments by several private sector partners to bring resources into Neighborhood Networks centers across the country. These include: Andersen Consulting: Andersen Consulting will help HUD expand the Neighborhood Networks initiative with funding assistance for the nation's first 10 centers to be opened in Indian Country. The money will help local communities buy computers and other equipment needed for Neighborhood Networks centers. CISCO: As proposed during President Clinton's recent New Markets Tour, HUD, Cisco Systems and Communities in Schools have agreed to the nation's first ten community-based CiscoNetworking Academy in non-traditional sites like public and HUD-assisted housing complexes, Empowerment Zones and HUD Neighborhood Networks centers. Secretary Cuomo recently announced that a major faith-based organization, Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI), will open one of these sites later this fall. This HUD-CIS-Cisco-HCCI academy will train some 120 at-risk young people from 16 to 25 to be cyber-ready, willing and able to compete in the information age. Coalition of Community Foundations: The Coalition of Community Foundations for Youth (CCFY) is a network of community foundations dedicated to securing improved conditions for children, youth and families. CCFY works to strengthen the leadership capacity of communities by providing grants, technical assistance and facilitating partnerships between local community groups. HOPE for Kids: HOPE for Kids is a national volunteer organization with a special focus on informing low-income communities on health issues. Several local HOPE for Kids affiliates have also provided general support services to Neighborhood Networks centers such as staffing after-school programs, providing toy drives, and volunteering at community events. HOPE for Kids is located in over 75 cities across the country, and had additional programs around the world. Lightspan: Lightspan, Inc. will provide educational technology resources to Neighborhood Networks centers: inter-active math and reading coursework aligned with state standards along with an on-line English/Spanish Parent and Family Center; parent support systems; and, exercises for instructors, families and kids to become comfortable with technology. To launch this national partnership, Lightspan will staff 10 Neighborhood Networks centers in Hispanic communities to provide hands-on assistance to residents and customize on-line content to their needs. National Council on the Aging: Together, HUD and NCOA have a multi-pronged partnership mission.
The partnership will provide opportunities for mature workers to re-enter the workforce, offer access to software that will help them identify government benefits, increase their incomes, and enhance physical and mental activities. HUD, NCOA, and local workforce development organizations will partner to offer other training programs in Neighborhood Networks centers for seniors. Neighborhood Networks centers have been invited to participate as partners in an NCOA program that educates seniors about consumer issues.
Finally, the two organizations will explore opportunities within Neighborhood Networks centers to provide access to computers/computing services to local community service organizations enrolled as members within NCOA's Vital Aging Network.
NorthPoint Communications: A new $2 million partnership agreement with NorthPoint Communications will help local communities bridge the digital divide by providing three years of free broadband DSL access to Neighborhood Networks centers. DSL, which stands for Digital Subscriber Line, is an Internet access technology that uses regular telephone lines to deliver always on, high-speed Internet access. With NorthPoint DSL, Neighborhood Networks centers will have Internet access speeds of up to 1.5 Megabytes per second - that's 25 times faster than the standard 56k dial-up modem found in most centers. Moreover, DSL service attached to a Neighborhood Networks center server allows all center computers to access the Internet at high speed, and eliminates the need to purchase separate modems for each computer. In some instances, NorthPoint will work with PowerUP to wire new and refurbished centers. PowerUP: PowerUP, a national initiative launched in November 1999 by more than a dozen non-profit groups, corporations and federal agencies - will provide 200 Neighborhood Networks centers with Gateway computers from the Waitt Family Foundation, trained staff from AmeriCorps*VISTA, free AOL accounts, snacks from PowerBar and interactive online programming provided by the AOL Foundation based on America's Promise's "five promises" identified as essential for children to become successful adults. These 200 Neighborhood Networks centers will include 100 in empowerment zones and enterprise communities across the country. Technology For All: Technology For All (TFA) will provide 100 Neighborhood Networks centers with broadband Internet access and online educational content. TFA is a national non-profit organization with a national technology infrastructure that allows TFA to be an Application Service Provider to local digital divide initiatives throughout the nation. TFA's network infrastructure is ePowered® through access to the Enron Intelligent Network®. Software applications and educational content are shared by agreement through TFA's Digital Library. To participating Technology For All affiliate organizations such as the 100 Neighborhood Networks centers, this reduces the cost and technical complexity of continually upgrading software and educational content on individual PCs at computer learning center sites. ThinkQuest: ThinkQuest is a program for students ages 12-19 that encourages them to use the Internet to create information-rich Web-based educational tools and materials. The students are eligible for scholarships and awards, and in the process learn collaboration, leadership, and critical thinking skills that help raise their level of education and technological expertise. The Neighborhood Networks partnership allows centers to participate in the competition and obtain valuable web-design tools. Clinton-Gore Administration Inter-agency Activities: HUD has participated in a wide range of Clinton-Gore Administration initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide. Many of these involve bringing members of the federal family together in Neighborhood Networks centers across the country. Some examples include: America Reads: America Reads is a grassroots national non-profit spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Education. America Reads challenges every American to help all children learn to read. HUD and America Reads have teamed up to bring instructional materials to Neighborhood Networks centers to establish and enhance literacy programs for children. Bureau of Primary Health Care: HUD, along with the Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), is bringing health services to Neighborhood Networks centers so that HUD residents -- a substantial portion of the approximately 10 million Americans who receive primary health care through BPHC primary care delivery sites nationwide -- can receive health care services and resources. To date, eleven Neighborhood Networks centers have developed local partnerships with BPHC sponsored health clinics. Federal Bureau of Investigation: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has a working relationship with HUD Neighborhood Networks centers as part of their community outreach activities. FBI staff are teaching computer literacy to low-income residents at a Section 8, HUD-insured multifamily development. When a resident completes the FBI's part of the training, they can use the FBI as a reference on their personal resume. As a continuation of this relationship with HUD, the FBI Headquarters Community Outreach staff have announced they will hire some graduates of Neighborhood Networks centers in their welfare to work initiative, as long as they pass the FBI's criteria for new employees. HUD is working with the FBI for national implementation of this relationship, which was recently saluted at a November, 2000 event featuring FBI volunteer mentors at the We Care Neighborhood Networks Center in Virginia. Hispanic Outreach: As announced by President Clinton at the June 2000 White House Hispanic Education Strategy Summit, HUD's partnership with HHS and the White House Initiative on Hispanic Educational Excellence will provide English and Spanish language materials and educational forums to parents of young children through Neighborhood Networks centers in six locations with emerging underserved Latino populations. Those locations are: Washington, DC (Grand Opening July 27, 2000); Holyoke, MA; Yakima Valley, WA; Tampa, FL; Albuquerque, NM; and the border cities of Sioux City, Iowa and Nebraska. The parents will receive information on early brain development research, parenting tips, Head Start, how to access child care subsidies and tax credits, how to choose a child care center, and other family support services. HUD will provide bilingual information and services that direct Hispanic families to early childhood programs and provide HUD information on housing issues. NASA Webchats: HUD and NASA have teamed up to present a series of interactive webcasts and chats that bring astronauts together with HUD residents in Neighborhood Networks centers. Together, we are striving to bring technology and science to public housing's youth. Events encourage children living in public housing communities to pursue math and science careers, and reach for the stars. Our most recent NASA Webchat was held on October 17, 2000 as part of National Neighborhood Networks Week and featured John "Danny" Olivas, one of the first Latino astronauts in space, along HUD Deputy Secretary Saul Ramirez and several children from a Houston-area NN center. Native eDGE: Native eDGE (Native economic Development, Guidance, and Empowerment) is a Federal inter-agency partnership for a comprehensive Native American economic development access center. As announced by President Clinton and Secretary Cuomo during their April 2000 New Markets Tour visit to Shiprock, New Mexico, the NativeEdge access center consists of a toll-free technical assistance call center, interactive web-site, information and resource exchange, and publications distribution clearinghouse. Staffed by economic development professionals, Native eDGE provides tribes, American Indian entrepreneurs and businesses desiring to locate enterprises near or within American Indian communities a "One-Stop Shop" to access resources from over 12 Federal agencies. This information can be obtained from one location instead of the client seeking all agencies separately. For more information, please contact Content Archived: January 20, 2009 |
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