HUD COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS CELEBRATE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS WEEK, AUGUST 11-18
National Effort Marks Opening of More Than 1,000 Centers That Help Public Housing Residents Move Toward Self-Sustainability

WASHINGTON - More than 1,000 HUD Neighborhood Network centers throughout the U.S. are this week staging
open houses, health fairs, grand openings and other community events to showcase their success in helping public housing residents get and stay healthy, find jobs, attend college and buy homes. Based upon its belief that public housing residents could be more self-sufficient by understanding and using technology, HUD started its
Neighborhood Networks program in 1995 with a few centers scattered throughout the country. Today, children and adults using centers located throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have access to computers and
to assistance provided by local public and private partners such as police, schools, businesses and other community organizations.

During the week residents and other individuals at the centers will be able to participate in on-line events planned with NASA, The Beehive, SeniorVoice, the Women's National Basketball Association, Monster.com and many other organizations.

Today, for example, participants will be able to chat live with Washington Mystics All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw,
who will discuss pro basketball's Read to Achieve program, a year-round initiative supported by all NBA and WNBA teams to promote the value of reading and online literacy, on and off the court.

Also on tap for today are on-line chat sessions with representatives from Monster.com, the web-based job
company, during which participants will learn how to develop a resume, set career goals and solve work problems;
and a discussion on financial aid at the Circle Terrace Apartments in Baltimore, Md., with the U.S. Department of Education.

Upcoming highlights during the week include the 2002 Louisiana Information Sharing Seminar on August 13 in Lafayette, La.; and highlights of NASA explorations, astronaut talks, and real-time observations of scientists as
they take one of NASA's most prized space vehicles, the Mars Rover, for a test drive in the California desert.

On August 14, there will be on-line job tips from the NJN Jobcast, and the grand opening of the Holiday Apartments Neighborhood Networks Center in Natchez, Miss.

August 15 will feature a Beehive.org on-line chat on money management, programs on health and education and
a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Wheat Street Garden Enrichment Center in Atlanta. Another August 15 event will
be the launch of a "Walgreen's Employment Referral Program" partnership in Houston during which qualified residents will be referred for interviews. Representatives from Walgreens, HUD's Houston Regional Office and the Housing Authority of the City of Houston will attend this kickoff.

A full schedule of the week's events is available on the Neighborhood Networks Website.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as
enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available at www.hud.gov.

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