San Jose, CA, October 15, 1999 - HandsNet today launched a two year Internet project, funded by a $750,000 grant from the Ford Foundation, bringing together experts online to determine the most effective ways to help low income working people. The project seeks to create sustainable working families by helping those who serve families in need to communicate and collaborate in more effective ways.

"HandsNet's 2000 members have been asking for a place to discuss the consequences of Welfare Reform in an in-depth, ongoing way," explains Michael Saunders, HandsNet's Executive Officer. "By providing trained moderators and user-friendly technology, we are creating an electronic forum where diverse participants from across the country can understand the needs of working families, improve services, inform the public debate and move the public will."

"Many direct service providers feel excluded from public policy discussions," states Project Director Evelyn Pine. "Direct service providers, advocacy groups, researchers, policy makers, and funders rarely get a chance to meet together to share experiences and gain insight into the roles that they can play in improving conditions for struggling families. HandsNet's WebClipper discussion technology provides a cost-effective solution."

HandsNet has been helping busy human services professionals use online networking to access the information they need since 1987. Their latest online service, WebClipper, was launched last October 15 to take advantage of advances in Internet technology. WebClipper will serve as the platform for the Working Families Online Roundtables.

Director of Online Community Development, Ken Goldstein, says that, "These Roundtables are just one part of HandsNet's ongoing efforts to use technology to empower the organizations that serve people in need. We're creating a new way for human service professionals to network and share the vital information they need to accomplish their missions."

For more information please contact HandsNet at  hninfo@handsnet.org or visit the site at www.handsnet.org.