HUD No. 07-091 Lemar Wooley (202) 708-0685 |
For Release Thursday June 21, 2007 |
NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS WEEK TO HIGHLIGHT HOW HUD COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY CENTERS CONNECT RESIDENTS TO OPPORTUNITIES
Hundreds of Local and National Events Planned Across America
WASHINGTON, DC - Neighborhood Networks Week 2007, June 25-30, will highlight how U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development community technology centers are connecting residents of all ages to personal, academic, and professional opportunities. In keeping with this year's theme, "Connecting Residents to Opportunities," many of the more than 1,300 Neighborhood Networks centers located throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will host local events that range from open houses and grand openings, to career days and health fairs, to community festivals.
Created by HUD in 1995, Neighborhood Networks is a community-based Initiative that delivers technology access to residents living in HUD-insured and assisted housing. After completing training at Neighborhood Networks centers, thousands of residents have secured jobs, increased their income, purchased homes, improved their academic performance, and attended college.
On June 25, Neighborhood Networks Week 2007 kicks off with a graduation ceremony at the Diane Armstrong Family Learning Center of Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey in Astoria, New York. About 60 resident-graduates will receive certificates for completing a basic education program at the Neighborhood Networks center.
Neighborhood Networks Director Delores A. Pruden and Bill Miecuna, Project Manager and HUD Neighborhood Networks Coordinator in the New York Regional Office, will be in attendance to recognize the achievements of the graduates and pay tribute to the many Neighborhood Networks stakeholders who turn the mission of Neighborhood Networks into reality. They will be joined by representatives of Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey. The event will be broadcast live via the Web, and a link is available at neighborhoodnetworks.org.
During the event, the New York center will be honored for achieving Model (Level 3) status under the Neighborhood Networks Center Classification System. Model Neighborhood Networks centers serve as centers of excellence for the entire Initiative. The winner of the 2007 Neighborhood Networks Week Essay Contest also will be announced.
In addition, HUD will host a week of national events in which all centers are invited to participate:
- On June 26, at 2 p.m. (EDT), the National Library of Medicine (NLM), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will host a one-hour Web cast and conference call that teaches participants how to access and obtain health information contained on MedlinePlus.gov, a free consumer health information Web site from the NLM. Other NLM healthcare-related resources will also be highlighted. In addition, participants will receive information and training on how to locate available funding resources and prepare a fundable proposal.
- On June 27, at 12:00 p.m. (EDT), TechSoup will lead a Webinar showcasing its Healthy and Secure Computing Program. Presenters will discuss disk protection, Internet content filtering options, and how to implement a regular maintenance schedule.
- On June 27, at 2 p.m. (EDT), representatives from the Computer Clubhouse will host a conference call that highlights the learning approaches used in the more than 100 Computer Clubhouses located around the world. Computer Clubhouse provides youth with access to resources, skills, and experiences to help them succeed in their careers, contribute to their communities, and lead outstanding lives.
- On June 28, at 2 p.m. (EDT), the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Operation HOPE, Inc. will host a Webinar featuring successful partnership development strategies. LISC and Operation HOPE will describe what they look for when approached by local community organizations.
- On June 29, at 2 p.m. (EDT), the final national event is a one-hour Web cast hosted by long-time Neighborhood Networks national partner, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the California Neighborhood Networks Consortia. Broadcast live from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the Web cast will showcase the Park Villas Family Learning Opportunity Center's participation in NASA's Imagine Mars Project.
For more information on Neighborhood Networks Week 2007, visit www.neighborhoodnetworks.org.
###
HUD is the nations housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and 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 on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.