|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hearing on City's Five-Year Consolidated Plan |
|
Community Action Network will convene a public hearing on Tuesday, January 27th from 2-4 p.m. at 1000 E 11th Street - 4th floor training room, to assist the City of Austin in preparing the Five-Year Consolidated Plan for fiscal years 2009-14.
This five-year Plan will help determine spending priorities for approximately $65 million from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through four grant programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).
The hearing will begin with a presentation on the recently completed comprehensive housing market study funded by the City of Austin. This will be followed by a brief overview of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan. The remaining hour of the meeting will be reserved for public comment. |
CAN Hosts National Community Planning Conference March 2 - 4
|
How do we accomplish community planning in turbulent times? This year's National Association of Planning Councils Conference theme is "Staying on Top When the Bottom Falls Out." Community Action Network will host the NAPC annual conference at the Hyatt on Town Lake March 2nd-4th. The conference will feature presentations and dialogue on:
- impact of U.S. Census changes on community planning;
- national and global drivers of change and what they mean for human services and local communities; and
- new approaches, strategies and tools for community planning and engagement.
Visit the NAPC website to learn more and register for the conference. |
|
 |
| Legislators Meet With CAN Resource Council |
|
Members of the Travis County legislative delegation will attend the CAN Resource Council meeting this Friday to share their legislative priorities and goals for the 81st Legislative Session. The public meeting begins at 1 p.m. at City Hall and will be broadcast live on cable Channel 6. | |
|
87% of Texas Communities Exceed U.S. Poverty Rate
|
 January is Poverty Awareness Month. 87% of Texas communities exceed the U.S. poverty rate, according to an analysis of Census data by John Henneberger with Texas Housers. The Austin metro area is one of only 6 communities in Texas that has a poverty rate below the national average, but, as Henneberger notes, affluent suburban neighborhoods dilute the overall rate for the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The CAN Community Council will have a forum on poverty on Thursday, January 22nd from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at City Hall. The forum will be televised on Cable Channel 6.
|
2009 Poverty Roundtable: Focus on Employment
|
 The Fifth Annual Faith Poverty Roundtable will focus on employment. Communities of faith, employment service providers and the business community will discuss how they can work together to help people achieve self-sufficiency through work. The Roundtable is hosted by Caritas of Austin and will be held at St. Matthews Episcopal Church, 8134 Mesa, on Wednesday, February 4th from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information or to register, visit the Caritas website or contact Tamara Landry Bell at 646-1277 or tbell@caritasofaustin.org |
| New Orientations for Job Training Programs |
 Capital IDEA connects people with training for jobs that offer good pay, benefits and opportunities for career advancement. Capital IDEA provides career counseling and support as well as financial support for tuition, books, childcare and other essentials. Training opportunites include: Video Game Development, 9-1-1 Call Takers, Solar Panel Installation Technician, Power Utilities Technician, Information Technology Certification, and professional trades such as Electrician and Plumber.
Orientations for people interested in job training through Capital IDEA will begin in early February. For information contact Ron Modesty at 512-457-8610 ext. 113 or visit the Capital IDEA website. |
| Help Students Apply for College Financial Aid |
|
The Austin Chamber is recruiting volunteers to help students and their families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Two-hour financial aid training sessions for volunteers will be held on January 8th in Round Rock, January 13th in Austin and January 15th in Kyle. Volunteers agree to support at least one Financial Aid Saturday event this spring.
Last year, the Austin Chamber and its volunteers assisted 1350 Central Texas students and their families in completing this form at 15 Financial Aid Saturday events. This spring over 24 Financial Aid Saturdays are planned and an estimated 350 volunteers are needed. Help Central Texas students take this important step to realizing their college potential.
Financial Aid Saturdays are a part of the Chamber's 20,010 by 2010 initiative to increase the number of Central Texas students who go to college. Learn more about the 2010 initiative and volunteering for Financial Aid Saturdays at the Austin Chamber website. |
| Be a Voice for Texas Children at the Capitol! |
 Join youth and adult advocates at the State Capitol on February 4th from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to encourage legislators to "Put Kids First." The "Voices for Change" Day is hosted by Texans Care for Children, the Texas Network of Youth Services and Children at Risk. The day will include advocacy training and networking with child advocates from across the state. Participation is free; the registration deadline is January 16th. |
| African American Family Support Conference |
 Registration for the 2009 Central Texas African American Family Support Conference is now open! The conference will be held February 12 & 13th at the Austin Omni Southpark. "Empowering Families: Live, Learn, Grow" is the theme for this year's conference which is designed by and for consumers of behavioral health services, their families and service providers.
Friday's keynote speaker Terrie Williams, the author of "Black Pain, It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting," will speak about her battle with depression. Registration is FREE to the public. Professionals attending as organization representatives will be assessed a $50 conference registration fee. Click here for registration information. |
| MLK Day of Wellness |
| The Keep Austin Housed Americorps program will sponsor the MLK Day of Wellness at St. Mary's Church in downtown Austin from 9 a.m. to noon on January 19th. Services provided include medical care, clothing, shoes, hygiene kits, food and entertainment. |
| Nonprofit Excellence Institute |
| Individuals make up 80% of charitable giving in the U.S. The I Live Here, I Give Here's Annual Fund Institute is a nine-month long training to help non-profit leaders cultivate and steward individual donors and develop an annual fund plan. Up to 40 non-profit institutions will be selected to participate. The training, provided by Dini Partners, engages each organization's Executive Director, Development Director and a Board Member. Space is limited. Applications are due by January 21st. |
| Explore UT: Learning Fun for the Entire Family |
| Students, teachers and parents are invited to "Explore UT" on Saturday, March 7th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Students can choose from more than 350 learning activities. Plus, they can interact with University students to get "the real scoop" about college life and to learn about careers in fields such as architecture, business, communication, law, pharmacy, computer science, engineering, and education.
|
 CAN Partners: Austin Area Human Services Association, Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Austin Chamber, Austin Community College, Austin Independent School District, Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, Capital Metro, City of Austin, Community Justice Council, Integrated Care Collaboration, Seton Family of Hospitals, St. David's Community Health Foundation, St. Edward's University, Travis County, Travis County Healthcare District, United Way Capital Area, University of Texas at Austin, and Workforce Solutions - Capital Area.
CAN Issue Area Groups: Aging Services Council, Austin/Travis County Victim Services Task Force, Basic Needs Coalition, Behavioral Health Planning Partnership, Central Texas After-School Network, Child & Youth Mental Health Planning Partnership, Developmental Disabilities Planning Partnership, Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, Success by 6, HousingWorks, Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, Ready by 21, Reentry Roundtable, and Regional Transit Coordination Committee. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
