San Diego, California - October 12,
2005 - In appreciation of Microsoft’s
contributions to the San Diego community, Pangea
Foundation will recognize Microsoft with its Modoc
Award for helping build Pangea Foundations’
Abilities Network. The award was presented October
10 during the kickoff for the American Association
of Service Coordinators’ (AASC) National
Training & Networking Conference at the Town
and Country Resort of San Diego.
“We are thrilled to honor Microsoft for
their generous contributions to Pangea Foundation,
and all the San Diego community organizations
they work with,” said Pangea Foundation
Executive Director Kristin Berry. “The support
that Microsoft has provided us over the last several
years has allowed us to update and enhance our
Abilities Network, giving organizations and Web
users the opportunities to fully take advantage
of the Internet to serve the elderly and disabled.”
The AASC’s National Training & Networking
Conference runs through October 13 and brings
together more than 1,200 Service Coordinators
from all over the country to network and learn
about advancements in their field. Each year,
the AASC Modoc Award is given to someone who assists
the service coordination industry in an untraditional
way. The award is named for the true story of
an elephant named Modoc that, in 1918, saved 27
people from drowning when a ship carrying circus
animals capsized in the Mediterranean Sea. Passengers
clung to Modoc for two days, taking turns holding
up his trunk, while he swam them to safety.
Pangea Foundation is dedicated to bringing state-of-the-art
technology to community organizations, helping
the underprivileged have greater access to technology.
Through technology support from Microsoft, Pangea
Foundation developed the Abilities Network, which
allows community organizations to navigate and
update their Web sites without the help of a Web
master. Local Microsoft technicians helped build
the Abilities Network, which is provided to San
Diego social services organizations assisting
low-income elderly and disabled residents.
Since 2001, Pangea Foundation has worked with
Service Coordinators to develop innovative technology
solutions that help deliver social and health
services to low-income elderly residents. Most
recently, with Microsoft’s assistance, Pangea
Foundation has developed AASC Online, which Service
Coordinators have used to deliver over 288,000
services to elderly residents in affordable housing,
including transportation, meals, health care services
and Medicare and prescription drug assistance.
“It is a privilege to be part of the great
work that Pangea Foundation is providing to San
Diegans who need it most,” said Microsoft
Southern California District Account Executive
Steve Gardner. “Microsoft is dedicated to
making its technology accessible and useful for
all people and circumstances, because we truly
believe technology has the power to transform
lives and help organizations better serve their
communities. We look forward to future opportunities
to support the San Diego community as well.”
About Pangea Foundation
Pangea Foundation was created with one goal in
mind: To bring state-of-the-art technology to
schools and community organizations. These groups
are historically among the last to receive breakthrough
technologies. Our goal is to change that. Since
its inception in 1996, Pangea Foundation has been
developing solutions that ensure all segments
of the community enjoy the vast benefits of technology,
particularly those underserved by traditional
institutions. We work closely with schools and
community-based organizations to implement technology
solutions that strengthen their efforts to serve
their communities. For more information, please
visit www.pangeafoundation.org.
About the American Association of Service
Coordinators (AASC)
The American Association of Service Coordinators
(AASC) is a national non-profit organization representing
Service Coordinators serving families, the elderly,
persons with disabilities and others who are involved
in creating and maintaining service-enhanced housing
environments. Its membership consists of individual
Service Coordinators, public housing authorities,
state housing finance agencies, community action
agencies and for-profit and nonprofit service
organizations, as well as housing providers, owners,
developers, management companies and other housing
staff who assist residents with obtaining services.
For more information, please visit www.servicecoordinator.org.
About Microsoft’s Accessible Technology
Group
For more than 15 years, Microsoft’s Accessible
Technology Group has overseen Microsoft’s
accessibility efforts, furthering the company’s
goal of making its products accessible to all
users, including those with disabilities. Microsoft’s
dedication to making its technology accessible
to all users began with the launch of Windows
2.0 in 1988, and the company further strengthened
that commitment in July 1995 with a corporate
policy that makes every employee responsible for
ensuring that all users have access to Microsoft
products and services. More information about
Microsoft and accessibility can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/enable.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”)
is the worldwide leader in software, services,
and Internet technologies for personal and business
computing. The company offers a wide range of
products and services designed to empower people
through great software-any time, any place, and
on any device.
