Meet Our Grantee-Partner: 826CHI
Mission: 826CHI is a non-profit creative writing, tutoring, and publishing center dedicated to amplifying the voices of Chicago youth.
826CHI opened its doors in Chicago in 2005 as part of the 826 National network, which was founded by author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari in 2002 and now consists of eight urban-based writing centers. 826CHI is backed by the collective experience and best practices of the 826 National network while being governed by a local board of directors and operating as an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Ninth grade class working on poetry during a field trip to 826CHI
826CHI supports Chicago students ages 6-18 by helping them develop creative and expository writing skills through tutoring. It also provides professional development for CPS teachers on topics ranging from mental health for educators to teaching creative writing in the classroom. The organization currently serves 1,500-3,500 students annually, operating on the conviction that all Chicago youth should have equitable access to high-quality writing and literary arts education. Programs and services focus on students in communities most impacted by systemic disinvestment in arts education, including students who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American), LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse learners, and English language learners.
826CHI’s Chicago-centric educational and artistic programming gives students a safe and inclusive space to build confidence and self-knowledge. It is structured around the belief that great leaps in learning happen with individualized attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success. It implements student-centered, inquiry-driven methods with an emphasis on publishing, giving students the tools they need to write their own paths forward.
826CHI’s programs bridge the gap between writing and activism, with literacy as a powerful and creative tool for advocacy, self-expression, and space to imagine, dream up, and create new worlds. 826CHI also provides public speaking opportunities that allow students to vocalize ideas and stories in multiple forms, including poetry.
826CHI is committed to giving each student in its programs the opportunity to publish. Through publishing projects, students learn about the real-world process of writing and editing a book while working collaboratively with their peers. The experience culminates with the joy of holding their published book in their hands.
826CHI received an Equity in Verse grant from the Poetry Foundation in fall 2023. These funds supported the organization at a crucial point in the expansion of its programs, specifically the Teen Writers Studio (TWS), a partnership with Burst Into Books and Chicago Public Library. TWS has served 716 teens from Chicago’s Gage Park, Bronzeville, and Roseland neighborhoods. Participants produced a publication entitled All the Beauty It Brings, developed public speaking skills at publication release events, and engaged with local and national media.
A recent highlight from TWS in Bronzeville was an appearance on a Good Morning America segment. One of the students, Genevieve, expressed TWS’s importance for her self-exploration and development as an author. Through the support of the grant from the Poetry Foundation, 826CHI can continue elevating young authors like Genevieve.