826michigan - History

History

826michigan opened its doors on June 1, 2005. Modeled after the already successful 826 Valencia, a group of local writers came together to bring the 826 mission to Ann Arbor. 826 Valencia, which was founded by writer Dave Eggers and teacher Nínive Calegari was the first of seven 826 chapters, which pioneered the organizations' dedication to student writing. Originally located on South State Street, near Briarwood Mall, 826michigan relocated to its downtown Ann Arbor location on October 1, 2007.

826michigan currently runs with only three full time employees and relies heavily on its community of over 300 volunteers. This includes board members, interns, teachers, store staff, writers, and more.

826michigan currently serves over 2000 students, aged 6–18, in Southeast Michigan. Programming includes drop-in tutoring, after school workshops, in-school residencies, and student publications. Workshops and tutoring cover all manners of writing, from poetry to college admissions essays. In accordance with the 826 mission statement, programs are dedicated to offering one-on-one attention to students and engaging them in a fun and challenging way. All programs are offered free of charge.