A significant portion of my fellowship has built up to this week! For weeks, my work with Hope Hollow has been heavily focused on designing our new website. At the start of the week, I had no knowledge of website design or WordPress (except for the basics, for the purposes of this blog). But, thanks to this fellowship and Hope Hollow, I now have a newfound skill that I never would have imagined having.

Up until this point, Hope Hollow’s website progress was completely reliant on the generosity of time and effort from volunteers. Early in the week, I was given a 2-hour tutorial on the basics of WordPress from a company that supports Hope Hollow and specializes in Marketing. As the person with the most time to dedicate to the development of the website, I took it upon myself to learn as much about WordPress, through trial and error, as possible.

Throughout my fellowship, I have been pushed outside of my comfort zone and forced to learn new skills. But, one of my greatest appreciations for my fellowship with Hope Hollow is that I have had a holistic and authentic experience. Non-profit work, especially for an organization with a small staff like Hope Hollow, requires multitasking and a willingness to learn new skills. From the onset of my fellowship, I have observed Hope Hollow’s co-founder, Kevin, always asking questions in an attempt to expand his knowledge. 

Truly serving the Hope Hollow community to the best of my abilities has required a lot of flexibility and a learners mindset, like Kevin’s.

Working on Hope Hollow’s website may not appear to directly benefit the patients that Hope Hollow serves, but upgrading our current website is essential to promoting Hope Hollow’s brand. While this week has been unexpected, it is an honor to be a part of the website design which will have a lasting impact for Hope Hollow.