May 2004

CAMConnect's first e-newsletter

CAMConnect: Linking Communities with Information , a non-profit organization in the City of Camden, New Jersey, is pleased to publish its first e-newsletter. CAMConnect is devoted to creating a learning partnership in Camden with the belief that sharing and using data will lead to informed decisions and better policy making to support the improved quality of life of all Camden citizens. CAMConnect accomplishes this mission by acquiring, synthesizing, and publishing data and information from disparate sources.

CAMConnect has recently added several documents to its online library , including an assessment of the Camden County Correctional Facility and the proposed Camden municipal budget for Fiscal Year 2004. CAMConnect welcomes suggestions for additional documents to add to this online library.

CAMConnect Member / Stakeholder Meeting, May 20

CAMConnect holds member / stakeholder meetings twice annually to faciliate data exchange and discussion. These meetings are open to the public. Items on the agenda for this meeting include an update on the Camden City Kids Count project and a discussion about Camden's participation in a project that is designed to track education indicators at Abbott School Districts . The meeting will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, in the second floor classroom at UMDNJ, E&R Building, 401 Haddon Avenue, in Camden.

CAMConnect upgrades website

CAMConnect has partnered with Hopeworks 'N Camden to upgrade its website, allowing for more frequent updates and more data and reports on the City of Camden. In the new website format, look to Camden Facts for Census data, maps, and school report cards for each Census tract in Camden. These pages will be updated frequently as other neighborhood data are made available.

Meanwhile, for links, reports, and data about citywide issues, look to the Camden Resources section of the website. As CAMConnect requests and obtains public documents, they will be posted under the Camden Reports heading, which includes documents pertaining to education, public safety, health, and other areas of concern.

Annie E. Casey Foundation provides grant

The Annie E. Casey Foundation awarded CAMConnect a grant in the amount of $50,000 for 2004. This award continues the Casey Foundation's generous support of CAMConnect.

Under the terms of this grant, CAMConnect has promised the Foundation four reports to be prepared this year. Report topics deal with health issues and access to primary care, municipal and school budget information, employment data, and citizen satisfaction surveys. Look for more information to be released as it becomes available.