User:Spy Hop Productions
“XMission...is a great match for us.”
Spy Hop Productions is a Salt Lake based nonprofit youth media and educational enrichment center. Founded in 1999 by Utah native Rick Wray, the organization seeks to help economically disadvantaged youths to achieve their potential in a tech-centric world by giving them access—often, for the first time—to high-quality multimedia arts education and programs. Spy Hop’s participants work with seasoned mentors and instructors in multiple media arts disciplines, including documentary arts, film and video production, radio broadcasting, web design, 3D graphics, and animation.
From the beginning, Spy Hop Productions made the decision to supplement its in-person and in-school promotional efforts with a sophisticated online presence both to keep community members and program participants informed and to recognize its supporters’ sponsors. Because of its dedication to community, Spy Hop was determined to deliver its online initiatives not only through a reliable and reputable Internet service provider (ISP), but through one that shared the same level of commitment to community. It was for this reason that Spy Hop ultimately selected XMission to provide web site hosting, Internet access and email services.
“In weighing ISP options, we decided early on to go with XMission over a large public ISP,” explains Spy Hop Productions Executive Director Rick Wray. “Beyond receiving problem-free services and support, we like to support local businesses and, in turn, love what XMission is doing to support the non-profit community. It’s a great match for us.”
Through online and offline efforts, Rick has successfully grown Spy Hop Productions from a single-person operation to one with nearly 3,000 annual participants, overseen by a team of 12 full and part-time employees. Further, through its web site, the organization has been able to generate an additional 10% increase in program registrants, and has created a venue to publicly recognize supporters, as well as to cultivate volunteers and donations.
“XMission really does help us build on our outreach efforts,” concludes Rick.
