For this TLC Member Spotlight, Andy Stutzman visited one of HopePHL’s summer youth programs to learn more about the impact on the community.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Nathan Kuruna at one of HopePHL’s summer youth programs. I met Nathan in the library at James Rhoads Elementary School in West Philadelphia, where he was unpacking 3D-printed creatures that his students had designed the previous week for his Tech Stars in 3D program. This class, part of the ACE Summer Camps with the Philadelphia School District’s Extended Day Year End summer program, was for 1st-3rd graders interested in technology. The students were ecstatic to see their creations as they entered the library.
HopePHL was formed during a 2023 merger between People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and Youth Service, Inc.
I’ve known Nathan for almost 15 years as he supported PEC’s role in the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program. Now the Digital Inclusion Manager for HopePHL, he supports the digital access needs of community members of all ages in West Philadelphia. Nathan’s dedication to serving the community is inspiring. We worked closely together during the pandemic in 2020 to supply desktop computers to households in need, and his team provided 1-on-1, socially distanced training to adults in local parks. During this time, PEC’s physical newsletter, which reached thousands of people, proved an essential resource for reaching the community about the City’s Digital Navigator program, discounted internet services, and access to free devices.
Back at James Rhodes Elementary School, Nathan and his assistant, Rahman, assisted the students with 3D modeling software to expand on their previous creations. The Tech Stars program provides students the opportunity to play with and learn technology that they wouldn’t normally have access to at school. The students dove right into their projects, showing me the turtles, spiders, and creative creatures they were creating. They learned how to rotate, flatten, and pull the abstract 3D shape on their screens to create legs, antennae, and faces. Nathan reviewed their creations and helped students understand what types of features and shapes would work best when 3D printed. The Tech Stars in 3D program serves over 40 students across different age groups.
HopePHL has been leading the way in digital inclusion and access programming for almost 20 years.
Their Maynes Family Digital Learning Lab provides open access to community members along with structured digital skills training for all ages. Digital inclusion and access is just one aspect of their services. HopePHL has several programs that include housing, social services, and early childhood support for families. Through both PEC and Youth Services, Inc., they have over 120 years of experience in providing services to West Philadelphia.
In the past year alone, HopePHL has had an incredible impact that includes:
- Digital inclusion instruction for 111 adult learners and 181 youth.
- Distributed food to 900 households.
- The Career Counselor achieved 37 employment placements with an average wage of $18.75/hour.
- Connected 188 households to city services to prevent housing loss due to foreclosure, tax delinquency, and tangled title issues.
- Prevented utility shutoff for 50 households in Mantua and Powelton Village.
I really enjoyed my time talking with the students and seeing how excited they were to play, create, and laugh while learning new technology. It was easy to recognize the immediate impact of the Tech Stars in 3D program.
HopePHL is an incredible resource for the community and an extraordinary representation of the critical role that TLC member organizations play in embedding digital access needs with the social needs of individuals and families. And, as PEC, they are a founding member of TLC, playing a central role in the development and leadership of our organization.