Web services to the citizen

Kids.gov (General Services Administration): No longer must parents park their children in front of the television set for a few hours to get some rest. The GSA, through the office of the Office of Citizen Services, has provided a portal to over 1,300 government resources for children's entertainment and education. Kids can play games, read about history, even get help with their homework. (http://www.kids.gov)

Mypyramid.gov (Agriculture Department): While most citizens know all about the food pyramid, they might be hard-pressed to say which agency created the idea (Food and Drug Administration? Health and Human Services?). So by creating a Web solely dedicated to explaining all aspects of the concept, USDA lets the consumer skip the middleman, and get directly to food pyramid goodness. The site allows users to obtain nutritional information specific to their age, gender and current level of physical activity. (http://www.mypyramid.gov)

Army Families Online (Army): When a soldier is deployed to some far-flung region of the world, his or her family often are left with unanswered questions, particularly in matters dealing with the Big Green Machine. So the Army created a site that can help address some of the most common issues, such as child support and finance issues. The site also provides a forum where family members can discuss issues. For the past two years,the site has seen over 200,000 visitors a month. (http://www.ArmyFamiliesOnline.org)

Consumer Action Website (GSA): Your lawn mower starts leaking oil days after purchase? Some online gift you ordered never shows up? This handy site helps citizens fight back when they find themselves the victims of fraud or unacceptably poor service. This site offers advice and Web aids, such as sample complaint letter, as well as contact information for locale consumer protection offices. (http://www.ConsumerAction.gov)

Students Abroad (State Department): Each year over 200,000 U.S. university students travel abroad for foreign study. Many are leaving the country for the first time for this exciting experience, and many are traveling unsupervised. Launched by the State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs this spring, Students Abroad offers information on everything a student would need to know for the big journey. (http://StudentsAbroad.state.gov)