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Vol 1, Issue 1 |
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| Feria para Aprender - Spanish Language Education Fair |
 The third annual Feria para Aprender education fair will be held on Saturday, February 7th from 10 am to 2 pm at the Burger Center.
Spanish language media, in partnership with AISD, United Way, Community Action Network and Austin Partners in Education, will host this free event for parents and children. The Spanish language event will feature information on education from pre-school through college.
Free transportation will be offered from several sites. For more information, visit the Feria website. |
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March 2nd Forum on Impact of US Census Changes on Local Communities |
Pending changes in the United States Census and American Community Survey (ACS) will have an impact on policy, programs and funding at the local level. The US Census Bureau will participate in a panel discussion about these changes on March 2nd from 9 am to noon at the City of Austin Council Chambers.
About $300 billion in federal program funds are distributed each year based, in whole or in part, on Census and ACS data. "Preparing for the Impacts of the New Census Changes on Community Planning" is sponsored by the Capital Area Council of Governments, Community Action Network, Envision Central Texas and the National Association of Planning Councils, to help organizations and local governments plan for these changes. The event is free, but seating is limited. RSVP to Vanessa Sarria. |
| Stand Up! Volunteers Needed for Homeless Count |
| The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) needs more volunteers to help with the homeless count on January 29th from 4 - 9 pm. Teams of four people will go out into the streets, shelters, and homeless camps to count the number of homeless people in our community. Brief training is required. For information, contact Rick Rivera.
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| Poverty Awareness Month |
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The CAN Community Council this Thursday night (Jan. 22) will feature presentations on poverty in our community and what we can do individually and collectively to address it. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall and will be broadcast live on Channel 6.
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| Staying on Top When the Bottom Falls Out |
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Doing community planning in turbulent times will be the focus of the National Association of Planning Councils conference in Austin March 2nd - 4th. Local organizations get a special "host" rate through CAN. Click here for information about the conferece. Contact Vanessa Sarria for local registration and rates. | |
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| Spotlight on Poverty |
 Imagine a family of four trying to survive on an income of $21,200 per year in our community. Nearly 15 percent of residents in Travis County live below this federal poverty level; that's more than 141,000 individuals - including more than 45,000 children - who simply do not have enough money to cover their basic needs. To learn more about this important issue, join I Live Here, I Give Here for the Spotlight on Community Needs program on Poverty next Monday, January 26th from 6 - 7 pm at Caritas of Austin, 611 Neches. |
| Tactics for Tough Times |
| Catholic Charities will hold a workshop on Saturday, January 31st for people impacted by the economic downturn. The workshop will be held from 8:30 am to noon at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, 12041 Bittern Hollow. The workshop will offer help in how to find a job, crisis budgeting, averting home foreclosure, and dealing with the stress of stressful times. Registration is free, but limited. Call 651-6100. |
| Faith 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 |
| STD Rates Higher Than Ever |
| The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released national sexually transmitted disease (STD) data for 2007. The report shows persistent and staggeringly high rates of STDs as well as a disproportionate burden of infections in youth, minorities, and women. View the CDC STD report.
The National Coalition of STD Directors has noted that while rates of STDs have continued to increase, federal funding for CDC's Division of STD Prevention has steadily declined since fiscal year 2003. |
| Five Year Consolidated Plan |
| The City of Austin is seeking input on its Five Year Consolidated Plan that sets priorities for housing and community development for the next five years. CAN will host the first first of five public hearings on January 27th from 2 - 4 pm at 1000 E. 11th Street. Visit Neighborhood Housing and Community Development for more information and public hearing dates, and let your voice be heard. |
| United Way Williamson County Now Accepting Letters of Intent |
| United Way of Williamson County has announced its 2009-2010 Community Investment Grants funding process. Organizations that wish to apply for funds must submit a Letter of Intent by February 26th.
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| Immigration, Education and our Future: Policy and Practice |
Austin Community College and St. Edward's University will host their second annual immigration conference on Friday, February 6th from 8 am - 5 pm. National and regional speakers will review the status and impact of immigration policy; facilitator-led discussions will focus on practice within educational, governmental and social service agency settings. Click here for more information and registration.
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| Literacy Day at the Capitol - February 12th |
| Adult Literacy students, teachers and advocates are invited to let their voices be heard by State policymakers. The Literacy Coalition of Central Texas and the Texas Christian Life Commission are co-sponsoring Literacy Day at the Capitol on February 12th from 9 am to 1 pm with a rally on the South steps to the Capitol at 11 am. Speakers include Senator Florence Shapiro and Representative Rob Eissler. For more information or to RSVP, contact Nichole Lopez at nlopez@willread.org or 512.320.4505. |
| New Kits to Support Evidence-Based Mental Health Practices |
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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is offering new materials to help mental health caregivers provide a broad range of proven mental health services in a wide variety of community settings. The Assertive Community Treatment Knowledge Informing Transformation (ACT KIT) includes...
- materials to introduce the practice to a wide variety of stakeholders, including Spanish and English videos, brochures, and a PowerPoint presentation
- information for state mental health authorities and program administrators to help them set up systems to support the practice
- a manual and accompanying video to train front-line staff
- evaluation/quality assurance materials to ensure the practice works as planned, and
- a summary of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the practice
Free versions of the KIT are available online and in CD-ROM/DVD format. Download a free online version. Or call for a CD-ROM/DVD version 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). |
 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. | |
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