Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Business Services Commissioner (DBS) Robert Walsh today announced the expansion of the DBS Micro-Enterprise program in Chinatown. The community-based computer-training program for small businesses, housed at Middle School 131 in Chinatown, demonstrates how City programs can be enhanced significantly by bringing the services and training directly to the communities that need it. The DBS Micro-Enterprise program provides small business owners and their employees with the technical skills needed to grow their business and make it more competitive. Joining the Mayor and DBS Commissioner Walsh were Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Jeanne Mullgrav, Middle School 131 Principal Alice Young, and Chinatown YMCA Beacon Center Executive Director Hong Shing Lee. The Department of Youth and Community Development funds and administers the Beacon program.

"The City can use partners like the Chinatown YMCA Beacon Center and Middle School 131 to better meet the needs of small businesses in the communities they operate," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This computer training program aims to support small businesses so they can grow and become anchors of their communities. An added benefit is that the children who attend the Beacon program and Middle School 131 will be able to use these new computers when not in use by the DBS Micro-Enterprise program to enhance their own computer skills."

"This is another example of the Mayor's commitment to New York City's small businesses community by providing them with the tools that make them competitive and successful," said DBS Commissioner Walsh. "This kind of partnership takes a training service we have provided in the past to a whole new level, and we look forward to growing the computer training program here in Chinatown and positioning it in other communities like Jamaica, Queens and Sunset Park, Brooklyn."

The program serves low-to-moderate income individuals who want to start or have recently formed a business. Participants are trained in MS Operating Systems, MS Word, MS Access Database, MS Excel Spreadsheets, MS Outlook, MS Powerpoint, and Basic Internet. These computer-training tools translate into data processing skills, inventory tracking skills, bookkeeping, product acquisition and research skills via the Internet, and general marketing skills. Because the US Department of Housing and Urban Development fully funds the program, eligibility is income driven and linked to the employer. The income range for eligibility is from less than $22,000 for singles to $66,000 for a family of eight.

To expand the program in Chinatown, DBS contributed 15 high-speed Intel computers to the school's computer lab and secured instructors to lead the training. The free classes meet once a week and are held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6:15-8:15 p.m. in seven-week cycles, as well as on Saturdays in staggered 2-hour blocks of time. The first cycle of classes commenced in Chinatown in late April with 160 participants enrolled. Classes also began in mid-May in Flatbush at P.S. 269 with 192 registered participants. While not being used for DBS classes, the computers will be used by students at Middle School 131 and others in the community who desire to learn computer skills.

The computer-training program was initially introduced two years ago by DBS and offered at the Department headquarters at 110 William Street in Lower Manhattan. Before moving out of DBS, approximately 2,300 people have received computer training through the program. In addition to the Chinatown and Flatbush programs, future classes are planned at the Haitian American Alliance located at 210 Linden Blvd., also in Flatbush, at the I.S. 220 Beacon Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and at the One Stop Career Center in Jamaica, Queens. For more information or to register for classes contact DBS at (212) 618-8916. For non-English speaking business owners in Chinatown, contact Man Nam Ma at (212) 513-6343.

"We are thrilled that the Chinatown YMCA Beacon Center, located here in Middle School 131, worked in partnership with the Department of Business Services and the school to bring computer training directly to the Chinatown community," said DYCD Commissioner Mullgrav. "Computer labs like this one are an exciting approach to creating safe havens and structured activities for students and youth in our communities."

"Middle School 131 welcomes the opportunity to partner with the City and we are proud to host the expansion of this program," said Principal Young. "The school's computer lab is fast becoming a very busy place not only in the evenings when the classes are being offered, but it is becoming a place where our students, their parents and family members and others gather to build their computer skills."