Posted on by Mike Veerman

Expanding – March 2023

Close up of 2 students working on their Robotic kit

Hope IT is grateful to God for new opportunities.  We are really expanding: here are a few highlights.  With this expansion, we are now in need of financial support.  This is the first time we are asking for financial assistance to support this expansion.

Hope IT is grateful to have 2 courses completed last month, and one course starting in April:

    • 2 students from the Door of Hope finished the WordPress course, creating web sites.
      • They learned how to add pictures, links, videos, and create a blog.
      • They also learned about PlugIns, the key idea to WordPress.  This allows you to quickly add features to track who visits your website, quickly build web pages, optimize your website appearing in Google searches, and much more.
    • Hope IT finished the Roblox courses with 4th and 5th graders at Stars.
      • This was a 6 week course, meeting on Thursday afternoon.
      • The kids learned how games they love are created on the platform.  The kids also created a small game (created a script), and then program – creating a script – where a player runs an obstacle course with dangerous obstacles.  This included changes in lighting over the course of the day.
      • The Hope IT was stretched as well, as this was one of the few times the students outnumbered the Hope IT team during a course.  These were also the youngest students we taught programming to.
      • One student published his game to his Roblox account, and play the game on his phone.  It was a small triumph, especially given the impact it had on the other kids watching.  We are considering adding this to future classes.
    • Hope IT partnering with the Door of Hope for an upcoming Robotic course
      • We are hoping 6 students, from ages 13 and up will join in.
      • This course will be in April, on 4 Saturday mornings.
      • Our 2 students from the October course will assist…and get paid doing so.
      • The Hope IT team is growing, and we may have new Hope IT team members join in…including possibly 2 high school students.

Hope IT’s efforts are expanding…with expanding costs:

    • We are expanding our courses offered.  We usually offer 3 courses per year.  This year, we may have 5.
    • We have more students in our courses.  This means we need more laptops and mice.
    • If our plans go well, we will have 2 Robotics courses this year.  We are gladly giving the Robotic kits away to the students after the course.  With the Robotic kits cost $30 each, you can see this can begin to add up.
    • We are beginning to reward students that have gained skill, in paying them to help assist in our courses.
    • We look eagerly towards our paid internship for one student coming up in April with Bridges.  This is a 4 week internship, at $16 per hour, for 5 hours per week.  The total is $400.  Through Bridges, we are paying this student via a work permit.  This one student will fill out an internship application, go through a Hope IT interview, and meet with the Hope IT team weekly, to make sure challenges at the workplace do not overwhelm the student.

Hope IT is looking to gain more funding.  Please consider donating money. 

    • We have an ambitious plan for the rest of this school year, as well as next school year with more plans of expansion (stay tuned).
    • As you know and as listed above, there are costs involved.
    • We are buying laptops, Robotic kits, and paying our older kids in the internship program, and assisting in courses.
    • We need to raise $1,000 more than our current budget has.
    • If you like to donate to Hope IT to help us accomplish all these efforts, continue reading below.  We show the steps to donate from our website.
    • Your assistance will directly allow kids to gain computer/IT skills, either to acquire more equipment (laptops and Robotic kits), or to pay key students themselves, as they assist in courses and the internship.

We love to see this growth.  It brings a different kind of challenge.  Bless you for your prayers, and considering financially supporting Hope IT.

What we are firm about is the love of God, and God’s emphasis on caring for those on the margins.  Hope IT is so blessed to work with our partners, and especially, with the students that come to Hope IT courses.

God bless.

Gratefully,
–Mike Veerman
Hope IT team lead

Here’s how to donate from the Hope IT website:

Go to our “Donate” web page at this link:  https://hopeit.net/donate/

Click the “Donate” button, see the green arrow below.

You will be forwarded to the Bridges’ DonorPerfect donation web page.  Bridges is Hope IT’s fiscal sponsor.  You can give a one-time gift, or set up monthly giving.

    • Click the default amount, or use the “Other” button to enter an amount you prefer.
    • The key point is to select “Ministry of Hope IT” in the Choose Ministry drop down, see the 2nd green arrow below.
    • Click the “Next” button.

Fill in your personal information (see below), and click the “Next” button at the bottom.

You can donate using your credit card or directly from your bank account.  We show both options below, using the “Payment Option” drop down, see the green arrows below.  You can also select to cover the small transaction fee, or now.  When you are finished, click the “Submit Payment” button at the bottom.

You will receive an email from Bridges, thanking you for your donation.  Please keep this donation email for you tax purposes.  Hope IT thanks you for your donation!!  Thank you for your partnership in allowing underserved students gain computer/IT skill, confidence, and glimpse of God’s love.