What do you mean by ” … to raise up an astronaut”?
Scott Millican, the Founder of the HE Space Children’s Foundation, spent his life working with astronauts, training them and supporting them to achieve their goals. The company he established, HE Space Operations, supports space projects – many of its employees have contacts with astronauts in their work with the International Space Station (ISS). People who work in the space industry have a good education which has enabled them to take part in the space adventure. Every child looks at the stars and wonders what it might be like to see them closer; yet only a privileged few get the opportunity to even get close to that dream. We would like to bring that dream closer for the poorest children – and we believe education is the only way to make it happen. One child who makes the dream come true can inspire a whole generation of his or her countrymen to achieve their potential. By aiming high, we can still make a difference.
How much of my money goes to the children?
We keep costs low by using employees volunteering their time for the projects and administrative support. All Board members and other volunteers give their time for free. If volunteers wish to visit projects they pay for their own travel and accommodation costs.
Is the Foundation accredited and are my donations tax deductible?
Yes, the Foundation is registered and has a legal status in both the Netherlands as in the United States. Donations in the Netherlands and from the USA are tax deductible. In the Netherlands the Foundation has an ANBI Status (Tax accreditation for charities), and in the United States you can donate through the NCF which entitles you to a tax rebate.
What happens to my money after I donate?
This is the most frequently asked question that we ask ourselves when we are asked to support a project. That’s the reason we will be informing you personally what we have done with the money you have donated. Donations for specific projects will go only towards these projects.
How do I become involved?
There are many ways to get more involved in the work of the Children’s Foundation. We encourage employees or former employees of HE Space to propose a specific educational project you would like to help fund – go to Get involved. We generally prioritise helping larger groups of children rather than specific individuals although we have sponsored individual scholarships under specific conditions.
Employees can give their time by helping us maintain the website, by writing articles or raising funds. Email us to find out what you could do. We are also looking for companies and other charities who might wish to partner with us, please see “Get involved”.
Where does the "HE Space" in the name originates from?
HE Space is the company founded by Scott Millican. The inspiration to set up the HE Space Children's Foundation was inspired by Scott Millican's visit to Uganda.
Who supports the HE Space Children's Foundation?
In 2023, HE Space became a CS GROUP company. CS GROUP, part of Sopra Steria, provides funding to support the HE Space Children's Foundation.
Employees of HE Space can initiate projects.