Hi Folks, I’m back, after writing all those articles on “Digital Divide,” Economic Divide, and lack of resources for the underserved community. We decided to do something about it, maybe this is only a small drop in a large pond. We developed a web site a “dot com”; http://mecresources.com this site is geared to help You find many resources that You need in one place.  The site is no frill, it has no fancy graphics; The Mecresources site has Business Resources, Community Resources, Education Resources, High Tech Resources and Environmental Resources. The site has something for the Whole Family whether rich or poor, young or old, the site is color blind and in many cases bi lingual.

It is designed so if You are Low Income and Underserved, there are links to find inexpensive recycled computers, which is a start. After You have a computer, where to get a free dialup ISP or connection to the web. Once You are connected to the web: Under Education Resources there are several Distance Learning Courses (courses You can do from a computer on line) from Kindergarten up to Doctoral Degrees, These sites cover a whole raft of areas from student to teacher: Under Community Resources there are several resources listed from Homeless to Housing, Immigration to the other end of the spectrum: Under Business Resources how to start a business and what resources are available to You in Your business, & where to go from there. If you live in an enterprise community, what special benefits that You are entitled to, as well as what tax benefits are available to Your employer. Where to go to get training. The Community Resource portion spans a very large area, check it out, from how to lower Your telephone bill by using Your computer to make long distance calls (ideal for kids); under High Tech how to reach technical training resources, both remotely via the Web and locally there are several courses, plus testing services available. How to learn HTML, the “dot com” language for producing Your own web pages. Look at what is happening in San Francisco, dot com companies are taking over several areas. Your web page may make You a major player, so learn and take advantage of the new arena.

This site is has now joined the battle for Environmental Justice and is dedicated to fighting Environmental Injustice, Environmental Racism, and all the things that low income and poor people fall prey to. We have seen toxic polluters taking advantage of underserved communities, through gentrification using greedy developers. We have seen people living in less than third world conditions suffering and being sick from environmental illness, very poor health care. We find this deplorable in a modern city like San Francisco. We have further seen the lack of economics through red lining, jobs and money slated for the (Millions of dollars) community only to be hijacked and used elsewhere. Many Reports on the Environmental Resources page point this out (HRC Reports, Journalism Reports, Grand Jury Report), we need to be steadfast and get active in our support of all people.

In summary the Mecresources site is to include You the Community, in the vast resources of information that is available to you, and Your Family through the Web. After all if information leads to knowledge, and knowledge leads to power then We need to strengthen our Village.

The site is ever evolving, Your patience, understanding, and most important, your suggestions of how to improve this site are much appreciated.

Here is a simple explanation of how “Mecresources” work. If you are a member of the following groups Immigrant, Underserved, or Low income, or possibly all three you are relegated to a second-class status, usually an Economic Divide. “Mecresources” is dedicated to leveling the playing field, by putting members of the afore mentioned groups in contact / communications with resources that can change that.

For instance, a low cost recycled computer $100-$200, can be used with a free ISP, to connect a user to a grouping of resources i.e. Education; English as a Second Language through Distance Learning, or the wealth of online free courses. Business; how to identify if You live in a Hub Zone, or EZ/EC. With special benefits or resources for the Residents. How to start a business, a step by step plan, MESBIC info, CAMEO info, NCSDC info SBA Info, multi lingual business info, etc. In other words putting info into the Communities that need it. Menu driven, on line, through inexpensive computers with menus, so Residents can take advantage of resources with out having to go through an intermediate. Making available resources like free long distance, through the Web lowering the cost to Residents who can ill afford it. Providing news on line in many different languages. Providing Distance Learning, so the whole Family can learn without the dependency of a weak instructor, or a bad program. The realm of Distance Learning is from K-12, to technical, to arts, to law, to html, available in a multitude of languages, it now spans from A-Z. We need to capitalize on the resources in place, while expanding new ones. The new structure is teaching some one how to plant and grow their own life, how to maximize, and utilize the resources that are currently available. Leading to self-sufficiency, and breaking the Economic Divide.

Please take some one from the Community and apply the resources from the site, let it speak for itself. We are currently locally shipping a 44’ container of computer equipment a day to South East Asia, to keep it out of our landfill it is classified as solid waste, hazardous material.

Many of these systems are reusable for training our local Community; I have used them along with training software to do just that. Now we are at the stage of Distant Learning, which is being used effectively in Rural America as well as many foreign countries. This is a golden opportunity to serve Our Communities, by placing resources in their hands now before the Digital Divide the Economic Divide grows any larger. Corporate America still believes education is a purchasable commodity, reflected by the H1B Program. We have the opportunity to showcase Our own Low Income, Immigrant, Under Served Communities they need access to resources!.Lets all pitch in and help.

Please look at the Community Resource page, how many of those resources are currently needed in the Underserved target areas?

Again this site is still evolving Your patience understanding and most important Your input of how to improve this site will be much appreciated.  A good example of evolvement is the Flags they are no longer just decoration, they can be clicked and used to take someone to a location or language they are familiar with all they need is to recognize a flag/icon that they are familiar with.

The site has a Digital Divide Forum area to leave and place messages; we shortly will be introducing voice forums where you can leave audio messages.

I would like to thank Wayne Killinger, New California Media for Their support, understanding, Their help and links to this site.

Remember our goal is a computer in Every Home and the Whole Family being able to use it, this site is a tool in that battle.

Thank You For Visiting

Maurice