Multi-Talent Resource Center anchors itself to be a supportive structure by which individuals and organizations can express, obtain and amplify their talents and creativity in order to reach their full potential. 

For centuries, technology has continued to be the seat of human growth and development.  It has been a tool by which man and society both have used in order to advance their ability to communicate; create and build, and further manipulate their environment and surroundings for survival. With the onset of the digital era, the time frame in which to achieve these advancements has increased exponentially.

Digital or computer technology has become wide spread and intrinsically integrated into every aspect of our present day society effecting the growth, development and progress of individuals and communities throughout the world.  Because of this, those that are not digitally literate, incapable of utilizing it as an effective tool; or lack access to computer technology and it resources, face the real possibility of being left in the “Dark Ages”, not able to compete economically on a domestic or global level, or maintain basic everyday necessities.

No other place exemplifies this fact more than the rural, low-income community of Pembroke Township and Village of Hopkins Park, Illinois where the need for digital literacy and basic technology infrastructure is indisputable.  The lack of technological support and access to technology services in this remote corner of Kankakee County, exacerbates the conditions of poverty, joblessness, increased drop out rates, and stifled economic and community development.

It is the mission of MTRC to provide supportive structure by which individuals & organizations can express and amplify their talents & creativity in order to reach their full potential in science & technology, agriculture and the arts.

Using the model for community development proposed by Nichole Turner Lee in 2000, Closing the Digital Divide: An Asset-Based Approach to Community Building and Community Technology,  MTRC adapts the view that a community technology resource center will not only maximize individual achievements by increasing digital literacy, but: encourage every resident to become active producers of community content rather than passive consumers; be used to leverage all assets of community resources by information sharing, and  individual  neighborhood asset-mapping; and create a community wide interdependent network that will spring board the capacity for true community building and economic development.  It is the goal of MTRC to:

• Increase awareness, utilization and access to free and/ or low cost computer technology and information technology resources to the underserved rural communities of Pembroke Township, Hopkins Park Village and surrounding areas of Kankakee and Iroquois County using all available computer information technology resources.
  
  
• Provide value added opportunity for participants and staff from programs within an organization (i.e., community-based, multi-service agency) to learn computer skills from a wide range of computer classes and related services.  As well as provide a central point of coordination for all scheduling and program activities for partnering organizations and computer training sites.
     
• Design, construct and support training centers that nurture, motivate and tailor to the needs and sensitivities  of individual  participants and target community groups including youth, at risk youth and adults, adults, displaced workers, seniors, farmers, social and governmental organizations, from both secular an non –secular establishments in collaboration with a network of public and private sectors.
  
  
• Partner and collaborate with Universities and other agencies, such as Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Workforce Investment Agency (WIA), University of Illinois, Pembroke Consolidated School District, The Village of Hopkins Park, and Pembroke Township to broker resources for building community capacity and effecting change for the area.

With the support of community stakeholders, local and state governmental agencies, MTRC has begun laying the foundation of development & growth in our community

MTRC ‘06-’07 Highlights :

• Received funding from DCEO (Eliminate the Digital Divide, 2006 & 2007) and IDHS (Teen Reach, 2006)
• Established 5 training Centers in P-HP, in which over 600  residents have utilized the computers for a variety of uses.
• Provided computer literacy training for nearly 300 Community Residents which included seniors, adults, youth and professionals.
• Established  a Computer Distribution Program with the State of Illinois and our partner Digital Workforce Education Society, to provide recycled computers to trained residents
• Currently we have nearly 300 residents who will be presented with Pentium III computer systems thru our Computer Distribution Program
• Introduced Home-Bound Training  to assist disabled residents with in-home computer training.
• Employed 21 youth and trained 49 others in a Summer Youth Employment Program (sponsored by IDHS) with computer instruction and part time employment in 2006-07
• Instituted Summer Youth Cyber Camp at our local Pembroke Community Center
• Sponsored P-HP’s first robotics competition team (P-HP Robo Warriors) and sent 8th -12th graders to compete in the national FIRST Robotics Competition (March 17-20, 2007)
• Developed a 6 month tri-level, advanced Computer Certification course & job readiness program (Advanced Technical Training (ATT))
• Successfully, trained students to IC3 Certification, A+ Certification and HP-APS certification (Hewlett Packard Accredited Platform Specialists)
• Created Employment for 13 community residents (not including MTRC employees)
• Developed Enrichment Programs for our local Junior High School including the Hi-Tech Scholars Club CyberMedia, Robotics, Chess & Logics)
• Worked with local school to coordinate the IL Steps AHEAD-GEAR Up program and developed their Career Explorations Center
• Developed outreach Programs, Creative Excellence Workshops, for Pembroke Public Library that has been implemented in the school and community Center:
• Supported 7 other non-profit organizations & businesses in the local area, providing computer equipment and desktop publishing services
• And the work continues...

In the first year we:

• Established 5 training Centers open and accessible to students and families  which allowed over 500  users to have access to computers for a variety of uses
• Provided literacy training for over 200 Community Residents which included seniors, adults and youth
• Employed 17 youth and trained 49 youth in a Summer Youth Program with computer instruction and part time employment
• Currently sponsoring & training  8th-12th graders to compete in the national FIRST Competition
• Developed a 6 month tri-level, advanced Computer Certification course & job rediness program
• Successfully, trained students to IC3 Certification & A+ Certification . APS certification (pending)
• Established  a Computer Distribution Program with the state of Illinois to provide recycled computers to trained residents
• Currently we have nearly 100 residents who will be presented with Pentium III Computer systems thru our Computer Distribution Program