826michigan is an amazing organization, powered by a tiny staff plus hundreds of volunteers (like me!). Volunteers and staff provide tutoring, work with teachers and students in classrooms, hold incredible workshops, publish students' writing in actual books, and basically do whatever it takes to help students shine through their writing...and all for free.
Every student has a voice that is uniquely theirs. 826 helps them express it and gives them confidence that their voice is important. It's wonderful to see how students respond to having their writing nurtured by the exceptional programming that 826 provides, and by the sincere and dedicated volunteers that make it happen.
Review from Guidestar
I'm a high school student in Ann Arbor, and over the years I've been to 826Michigan many times. 826 is a nonprofit organization that helps kids with their writing skills. It also offers opportunities to students attending college in or near Ann Arbor. 826Michigan offers all kids of programs, from drop-in tutoring after school to weekly workshops.
At drop-in tutoring, students from grades K-12 can get help on their homework assignments. Monday night drop-in sessions are one-hour long classes that do not require registration and allow students to write about a topic selected for that day's session.
Workshops vary with each new workshop schedule, but I have attended classes involving poetry, playwriting, fiction writing, character development, and publication procedures. Each class was taught by a volunteer who freely gave their time to 826.
Because 826 is a nonprofit, it hosts many fundraisers to help support its free student programs. Some of these fundraisers have included the 24-Hour Theater, a theatrical production completed in one 24-hour session; releases of the Omnibus, a publication of student work; and more recently, Five Bowls of Oatmeal, which featured plays written by students and performed by professional actors.
Overall, everything involving 826 has been a good experience for me. Their robot storefront, Liberty Street Robot Supply and Repair, offers a variety of funny and ingenious products, and all proceeds support the free student workshops. Everyone at 826 friendly, and new people are always coming into the organization with new ideas. This organization is wonderful, and definitely helps kids develop their writing skills.
Review from Guidestar