For the week of June 13, 2003

APPLICATION FAIR FOR POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS SET FOR JUNE 16

JACKSON - Mississippi Home of Your Own (HOYO), a program of the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) located at The University of Southern Mississippi, will sponsor a housing application fair for potential Jackson area home buyers. The application fair will be held June 16 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and again from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Jackson Medical Mall community room. HOYO is an award-winning "Equal Opportunity Housing" program for people with disabilities. HOYO focuses on creating a support system that will identify potential home buyers, analyze their housing needs and financial capacity, and prepare them for home ownership. Project staff will provide qualifying guidelines and take applications on site for applicants with disabilities seeking home ownership. Applicants may qualify for up to $15,000 in HOME Investment Partnership funds from the city of Jackson to apply toward down payment and closing costs if approved. For more information, call Deborah Jefferson or Amy Cooper at the Institute for Disability Studies' Jackson office at (601) 432-6876. IDS is Mississippi's Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service headquartered for 25 years at Southern Mississippi. The Institute provides university training, community service activities, research, and information that promote the independence, productivity, and community inclusion of individuals with disabilities and their families. For more information about IDS, visit the Institute's Web site at www.ids.usm.edu or call 1-888-671-0051 (TTY).

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IDS CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS WORKFORCE PROGRAMS
FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES

HATTIESBURG -- What strategies have been effective getting people with disabilities employed? Can programs that serve all people serve individuals with disabilities? Both global theories and proven strategies for workforce programs for youth with disabilities will be addressed at the 2003 Mississippi Conference on Employment and Disability, July 23-24, at the Oasis Resort and Casino in Gulfport. The conference, "Blueprints for Quality Work Force Programs for Youth with Disabilities" is sponsored by Project YES and Project LINCC at the Institute for Disability Studies located at The University of Southern Mississippi. For more information or to register for the conference, call Charles Hughes at the IDS at 1-888-671-0051. Information, including the conference agenda and guest presenters, is available at the IDS Web site at www.ids.usm.edu.

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RECREATIONAL SPORTS TO HOST
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE EXAM

HATTIESBURG- Recreational Sports at The University of Southern Mississippi will host the American Council on Exercise (ACE) personal trainer certification exam August 9 at 1 p.m. in the Payne Center. The fee to sit for this exam is $200; however, the first 20 registrants will receive a $40 discount ($160 exam fee). Pre-registration deadline is July 10, 2003. Stand-by registration will begin at 11 a.m. on the day of the exam. For further information on the ACE exam, contact Bryan Stednitz at (601) 266-5405.

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SMALL BUSINESS COURSES SET AT Southern MissGC

LONG BEACH -- A variety of courses designed to benefit small businesses and small business owners will be offered next month by The University of Southern Mississippi Small Business Development Center. The courses, which are offered at various locations along the Gulf Coast, include "Small Business: Doing Business with Industry" to be offered from 8:30 -11:30 a.m., July 10, at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, 720 Krebs Avenue, Pascagoula. Industry representatives will be on hand to offer tips on obtaining business contacts and other pertinent information. There is no fee, but pre-registration is required to reserve materials and a seat. "Be Your Own Boss" will be offered from 5:30-8:30 p.m., July 17, at the Gulf Coast Business Technology Center, 1636 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi. The course is designed to provide general small business start-up information. Topics covered will include licensing, zoning, business planning and financing. The workshop will also feature a presentation by the Internal Revenue Service on electronic filing, employment, taxes and business structures. The fee for the course is $25 and should be paid in advance of attendance. "Procurement/Women's Roundtable" will be offered from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. July 23 at the Small Business Development Center on the Southern MissGC campus, 730 East Beach Blvd., Long Beach. The session will update attendees on federal and state programs and will provide answers to business questions. Information to be covered includes SBA's women's programs, loan guaranty programs and procurement programs, Mississippi Development Authority state certification programs for women and minorities, and assistance offered through the Southern Miss Small Business Development Center. There is no fee for the course, but seating is limited and preregistration is required. To register and pre-pay course fees for any of the above workshops, mail a check made payable to Southern Miss SBDC to the Southern Miss Small Business Development Center, 136 Beach Park Place, Long Beach, MS 39560.Workshops are subject to cancellation if preregistration minimums are not met. For more information, please contact the SBDC at (228) 865-4578 or e-mail at Jill.Scafide@usm.edu.

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