Where Your Gift Goes: How Strike HOPE Uses Every Donation
Where do nonprofit donations go? At Strike HOPE, every gift is split the same clear way: 50% to Chromebooks and learning materials, 40% to our tutoring program and 10% to program operations, with our unpaid volunteer board approving all spending.
If you are thinking about giving this season, you deserve to know exactly what your money does. This post walks through how we use donations, who decides how they are spent, and how you can check our work for yourself.
Where do nonprofit donations go at Strike HOPE?
Strike HOPE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that gives free Chromebooks and free one-on-one volunteer tutoring to K-12 students from low-income families who learn outside the public school system, anywhere in the U.S. Because we run just two active programs, our budget is simple to explain.
- 50% goes to Chromebooks and learning materials. Each Chromebook is shipped directly to a family’s home so a student has a working device for online lessons and schoolwork.
- 40% goes to our tutoring program. A vetted volunteer tutor meets one-on-one with a student over Google Meet in Strike HOPE’s secure Google Workspace, once a week for about six weeks. Our tutors are volunteers, so this share covers the administrative costs of running the program.
- 10% goes to program operations. This small share covers the day-to-day work of running both programs.
To put real numbers on it: one refurbished Chromebook, shipped to a family, costs Strike HOPE $80. One student’s six-week tutoring program costs $100 in administrative costs, because the tutors themselves are volunteers. Gifts of every size matter, too. Any amount goes toward the next Chromebook or tutoring spot.
You can read more about our approach on our How Strike HOPE Empowers Education page, and see our progress so far on our Impact page.
Who decides how your gift is spent
Strike HOPE is run by a volunteer Board of Directors. Board members are unpaid. The board reviews every application from families and approves all spending.
That same review is how we make sure gifts reach the right students. Our Chromebooks and tutoring are not free for everyone. They go to families with limited income who apply and qualify. Parents or legal guardians apply for each child, show that household income is within national poverty guidelines, and wait for the board’s monthly review. Your donation helps qualifying families who have applied, and approval always depends on that review and on available funds.
Why our costs stay low
A few choices help more of each dollar reach students:
- We are fully virtual. Our work happens online.
- We are volunteer-powered. Our board and our tutors give their time.
- We are debt-free. None of your gift goes to paying off loans.
- We get donated support. Strike Services, Inc. donates back-office and logistics support to Strike HOPE.
- We pay no platform fees on gifts. We accept donations through Zeffy, which is free for nonprofits.
As of October 2026, Strike HOPE has given Chromebooks to 20+ families and tutoring to about 10 students since our founding in 2020.
How to check that a nonprofit is transparent
You do not have to take our word for any of this. Here are the details you can look up:
- Tax status: Strike HOPE has been a 501(c)(3) public charity since February 2021. Our EIN is 85-3806230.
- Candid Platinum Seal: Strike HOPE holds the Candid 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency. We shared more about that milestone in Bridging the Digital Divide: Our 2026 Vision and a Platinum Milestone.
- Who we are: Strike HOPE was founded in 2020, during the pandemic, by Shahla and Jay Hockensmith.
- Where we are: We are based in Oregon City, Oregon, and serve families anywhere in the U.S. Our mailing address is 19300 Molalla Ave, Suite #427, Oregon City, OR 97045.
- How to reach us: Email hope@strikehope.org or call or text (971) 301-4404 with any question about how donations are used.
Strike HOPE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Common questions
Where do nonprofit donations go when I give to Strike HOPE?
50% goes to Chromebooks and learning materials, 40% to the tutoring program and 10% to program operations.
Who approves spending?
Our unpaid volunteer Board of Directors approves all spending and reviews every family’s application.
Does Strike HOPE pay fees on my online gift?
No. We use Zeffy, which is free for nonprofits, so Strike HOPE pays no platform fees.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Strike HOPE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Help us reach $1,000 by Giving Tuesday
Our Giving Tuesday goal is $1,000 by Tuesday, December 1, 2026. That is enough for 5 Chromebooks and 6 students’ tutoring for qualifying families who have applied. Any amount goes toward the next Chromebook or tutoring spot.
Know a family who could use a Chromebook or a tutor? Parents and guardians can apply for help here.