NET MENDERS ALLIANCE
OUR VISIONTo create an Alliance of Net Menders: technically inclined people who are called and equipped to mend the physical and virtual networks that enable their own community to function and broadcast their message.
Net Menders Alliance grew from a conversation between the two founders about how to best support the IT needs of churches and not-for-profit organizations. We both grew up providing technical support to our respective churches and various not-for-profit organizations. Because of these shared experiences—thanks in part to the careers in technical support with which we have been blessed—we have come to realize that many churches struggle to disciple technology volunteers. This is often because the staff and leadership are focused on the mission’s message, while the technology volunteers have to focus on the mission’s method. There is no doubt that the message itself is critical for an organization to be successful Fishers of Men—but it is hard to catch anything with broken nets. Churches and not-for-profits rely on technology to broadcast their message and they therefore depend on their technology volunteers to keep those nets mended.
“There is no doubt that the message itself is critical for an organization to be successful Fishers of Men—but it is hard to catch anything with broken nets.”
“Our experience has been that not-for-profits are frequently either underinvesting in their IT solutions or spending far too much for what they need.”
After working in consumer and commercial IT support for over 30 years, we have found ourselves frustrated: the status quo for not-for-profits is untenable. When your organization is trying to make every donated dollar count, paying commercial rates is prohibitive and deploying consumer-grade equipment is insufficient. Our experience has been that not-for-profits are frequently either underinvesting in their IT solutions or spending far too much for what they need. Sometimes they are committing excessive time and resources to maintain outdated solutions or failing equipment when newer, less expensive solutions exist.
We have observed that many of these organizations have staff or volunteers who are technically proficient but are being asked to perform IT-related tasks beyond their training and experience. Conversely, they have the requisite experience and are looking to use it on a greater scale to support their community. There are immeasurable benefits to empowering these professionals with technical resources; we also invite them to join our Alliance as Net Menders which connects them to others who share their calling and offers personal discipleship and mentorship experiences.
“There are immeasurable benefits to empowering these professionals with technical resources...”
“…we are continually seeking to develop platforms and offerings that can be deployed at reduced costs.“
We know that the largest impact of discipleship is personal growth, but this growth cannot negotiate better rates for networking equipment or services. Due to our industry experience and our core desire to see donated funds used to their greatest effect, we are continually seeking to develop platforms and offerings that can be deployed at reduced costs. As each deployment is unique, we will consult with your team to optimize the infrastructure you already have and help you navigate any upgrades or improvements that your organization requires. Our suggested implementations will always provide options that allow for immediate impact and prepare the community’s technology infrastructure for future growth and compatibility.
We believe that our vision has the potential to grow exponentially and impact charitable communities all over the world. But we will not be able to get there without first growing and investing in our local churches and not-for-profits. If you or your organization would like to join our Alliance, we would like to hear from you!
Sincerely,
Andrew Wake and Samuel Roy
Founders