Operation HOPE blog post

I was recently asked to write a post for the Operation HOPE blog discussing my experience running the computer literacy program. The link for the post can be found here, but I've also pasted it below as well. Enjoy!

"As the global leader in the Silver Rights Movement, Operation HOPE seeks to eradicate poverty and build dignity. I’m extremely honored to play a small role in this effort as the founder of the computer literacy program at the Harlem HOPE Center.

From the moment I walked in the door one cold winter morning in 2009, I was warmly welcomed by the Operation HOPE family. I had moved to Manhattan several months earlier and I was eager to start volunteering with an organization focused on financial literacy, an issue which fascinates and drives me. I took a few moments to explore the facility and was immediately impressed; the center is spacious, modern, bright and clean, creating an encouraging and inviting environment for community members.

Over the phone I had already expressed my desire to lend a hand wherever possible, whether it be through administrative duties, marketing, grant writing or other tasks, but after a brief tour of the facility, it was the Cyber Cafe that caught my attention. I asked Donna Burton, the Vice President of the HOPE Center, if she thought there would be an interest in offering free basic computer classes to the community. Her face lit up and she quickly responded, “absolutely”.

Just a few weeks later, I was teaching my first computer class at Operation HOPE. Today, our program is bigger and stronger than ever before; we currently teach free classes in topics such as Computer Basics, Internet Basics, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Web Design and Social Networking. In the last two and a half years, we have reached hundreds of people thanks to the support of the staff at Operation HOPE and the dozens of volunteers who have spent their Saturdays helping others build the necessary skills to stay competitive in the work force.

There have been so many individuals whose stories have touched my heart since I started teaching at Operation HOPE. One that I will never forget was a woman who came to us after failing a Microsoft Office test which was a required prerequisite for the job she had applied for. After spending several hours refreshing her Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills with us, she reapplied for the job, passed the exam and accepted the position.

Unfortunately In this difficult economic climate, her situation is not unique. Many of our students attend our computer classes to build the necessary computer skills needed to improve employment prospects. Hard-working and determined, their dedication to succeed embodies the American spirit. A huge thank you to Operation HOPE for giving me an opportunity to serve in such a rich and rewarding way and a bigger thank you to all the students I have been lucky enough to work with. You are my inspiration, and this blog post is dedicated to each of you."