The Austin City Council will hold a public hearing on plans to spend federal stimulus funding of $3 million Homeless Prevention Funds and $2 million in Community Development Block Grant funds.  The hearing will be held Thursday, April 24th at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The City will accept public comment on how to best spend these funds through May 1, 2009.  Click here for more details.

The Legislative Budget Board reports that Texas will receive an estimated $15.3 billion in federal economic stimulus funding.  The LBB has released a new report outlining the impact of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provisions on the Texas budget.  Link to the report.

Review this and other stimulus information on the CAN webpage "Federal Stimulus Plan - Local Impact."

The Asian American Community Partnership and the Asian American Cultural Center will sponsor the 11th Annual Dragon Boat Festival this Saturday, April 25th at Lady Bird Lake's Festival Beach.  Dragon boat races will begin at 7 a.m. and will continue throughout the day.  Enjoy song, dance and music from many Asian cultures.  For more information visit the Asian American Cultural Center website.

 

Workforce Solutions Capital Area will host its Spring Job Fair on Tuesday, April 28th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The Job Fair will be held at 5335 Airport Blvd (formerly Chair King).  Space is still available for employers; the deadline for registration is April 24th.  For more information, visit www.wfscapitalarea.com.

The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) seeks community volunteers to serve on the 2009 ECHO Independent Review Team (IRT).  The team is composed of both institutional members and community members who are interested in homeless issues and willing to make a one year commitment.  Committee members will review and rank the 2009 Continuum of Care (CoC) applications for 2010 funding to be submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and review progress for those programs that have just received funding from the 2008 CoC applications.  The complete announcement and application can be accessed on the ECHO website at AustinECHO.org.  Applications are due on or before May 1, 2009.

Austin ISD is inviting 8th graders from throughout the district to apply to attend the "NewTech" high schools to open next fall at the Eastside Memorial campus, formerly Johnston High School. With the slogan, "This is not your parents' high school," students are encouraged to enroll in one of two options - Green Tech High and Global Tech High.  For more information, visit the East Side Memorial website.

The City of Austin will seek public input about health-related issues during the fourth and final forum for the Hispanic Quality of Life Initiative on Tuesday, April 28th at 6:30 p.m. at the Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center, 808 Nile Street.  Growth in the local Hispanic community has accounted for 70-80 percent of total growth in the City so far this decade, according to the City, and addressing the health needs of this fastest growing population is critical.  Comments shared at the public hearing will help develop recommendations on how to make Austin a better place to live for the diverse Hispanic community.  Learn more about this and previous Hispanic Quality of Life forums.

As the economic crisis worsens and foreclosures increase, schools and communities are faced with growing numbers of highly mobile, high-poverty, and homeless children, youth, and families. The Region XIII Education Service Center is sponsoring a full-day workshop on May 1st at the Winters Complex, 701 W. 51st Street for people who work with homeless children, youth and families.

The Texas Homeless Network, Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Workforce Solutions, and the Texas Homeless Education Office will guide discussions to increase collaborative partnerships and to connect participants with federal, state and local resources to help children and their families.  Register online at the Region XIII Service Center website.

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.