St. Mark Catholic School and Hope For Tomorrow are proud to announce a meaningful community partnership created to help Hope For Tomorrow continue serving students in kindergarten through 8th grade who need academic support, homework help, and preparation for long-term scholarly success.
Hope For Tomorrow provides tutoring and structured academic reinforcement for youth whose student success can be affected by language and cultural barriers. Many students served by the organization are working hard to succeed in school while also navigating differences in language, academic expectations, classroom systems, and American educational culture. Hope For Tomorrow acts as a bridge, helping close those gaps so students can complete homework, strengthen reading and math skills, build confidence, and stay on track academically.
Grant funding cuts have challenged Hope For Tomorrow’s ability to continue operating in its current location, requiring the organization to think creatively and seek a mission-aligned partner to ensure the program continues. The need is urgent. Hope For Tomorrow is the only program of its kind on the southside of Indianapolis, and without it, students who depend on this support could face widening learning gaps, academic setbacks, and possible failure.
The partnership was made possible through a community connection facilitated by Dr. Sarah Ward of WindRose Health Network, who introduced the two organizations and helped guide the proposal process. WindRose Health Network believes caring for the community extends beyond clinic walls, and that supporting education, stability, and opportunity for youth is essential to building healthy futures.
The partnership brings together two mission-driven organizations with a shared commitment to children, education, faith, and community care. St. Mark Catholic School, a ministry of St. Mark Parish, is rooted in teaching as Jesus taught, valuing the unique gifts of each student while promoting academic, physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Hope For Tomorrow, founded by Justin Thang, provides academic reinforcement, cultural support, interpretation, and educational guidance, with a special focus on Burmese and Chin students in Indianapolis.
Jen Kocher, Principal of St. Mark Catholic School, said the collaboration reflects the school’s commitment to student growth and community service. “St. Mark has always believed in seeing the gifts and potential of every child. This partnership allows us to support students who are working hard to overcome barriers and achieve academic success. When a child receives the right support at the right time, it can change the direction of their future.”
For Hope For Tomorrow, the partnership represents continuity for students who rely on a trusted and culturally responsive educational support system. “Our students are bright, capable, and full of promise,” said Justin Thang, Founder and Executive Director of Hope For Tomorrow. “But many face barriers that make school more difficult, including language, culture, and unfamiliar academic systems. Hope For Tomorrow helps bridge that gap. This partnership with St. Mark helps ensure our students do not lose the tutoring, homework support, and encouragement they need to succeed,” shared, Founder and Executive Director, Justin Thang.
In addition to supporting students directly, Hope For Tomorrow helps relieve the burden on parents and caregivers who may be unfamiliar with American school expectations, academic language, math methods, or classroom systems. By helping students understand and complete their schoolwork, the organization strengthens each child’s opportunity to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Together, St. Mark Catholic School and Hope For Tomorrow are preserving a vital academic lifeline for southside students. This collaboration shows what is possible when faith, education, and community come together around a shared belief: every child deserves the support needed to build a hopeful tomorrow.
About St. Mark Catholic School
St. Mark Catholic School is a ministry of St. Mark Parish in Indianapolis. Guided by its Catholic mission, the school values the unique gifts of each individual while providing academic challenges, promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, and encouraging students to become lifelong learners and disciples of God.
About Hope For Tomorrow
Hope For Tomorrow is a nonprofit organization founded by Justin Thang to support students through tutoring, homework assistance, academic reinforcement, cultural connection, interpretation, and educational guidance. The organization provides vital support for kindergarten through 8th grade students, particularly Burmese and Chin youth in Indianapolis, helping them overcome language and cultural barriers that can impact classroom success.
Media Contact:
Dr. Sarah Ward
WindRose Health Network
Director of Community Health Affairs
317.501.6740
Sward@WindRoseHealth.net