http://www.826chi.org/blog 826CHI writing / turtoring non-profit in Chicago, IL. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:51:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This piece was written during A Whole Lot of Food and Memoir Writing, an 826CHI workshop in partnership with Whole Foods Market. Pad Thai is a big part of my family’s history. From the scorching hot southern parts of Thailand to here, in the Windy City. Life was rough for my ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=70 At times, 826CHI forms long-term relationships with classrooms and schools as part of its in-schools program, and it’s this the kind of partnership we’ve been pleased to foster with Schiller School, located in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green. 826CHI first got acquainted with Schiller’s students during the spring of 2008, when we had ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=66 At 5:30, as most of the after-school tutors and students head home and 826CHI begins to quiet down until the flurry of a workshop, Agent Lauren Braun is still sitting resolutely at our tables. Lauren isn’t sitting there because she has nowhere to go (you can practically see her house ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=65 This month we raise our hats to Special Agent Paul Lask: quiet hero, secret rockstar, and all-around incredible volunteer. Agent Lask is hard evidence that the power of word-of-mouth is incredible in the volunteer world. Back in the fall of 2006, Paul heard about a little place called 826CHI from ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=64 We’re not sure if it’s because of The Music Man, or what, but librarians often get a bum rap for being sort of stodgy. Really, we all know that’s not true. Think way back to your first librarian. Not the one who gave you the stink eye ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=63 You know that aunt you always wanted to have? The cool, savvy one who is as good with a sly joke as she is a dance move? Yeah, we know her too. She is in fact our Aunt Alice. As in Agent Alice Stevens, one of our ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=62 Special Agent Bailey Brittin has been at 826CHI for some time now. She volunteered for us for a while, then took on the role of superintern, and has for some time continued to volunteer for us in a way where you might still assume she was a superintern. It’s tricky, ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=61 Agent Dani Hoyler is kind of a big deal. Recently, Dani was bestowed the title of "Best Bartender in Chicago" by Metromix, and now, Agent Hoyler ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=59 'Tis the season for competition. It's in Chicago's blood. The blood of its baby bear and sock-mascotted baseball players, the blood of its presidential politician and its in the blood of tile-wielding Scrabble lovers. It is tournament time. 826CHI is proud to announce our fine fall event: SCRABBLE for CHEATERS. ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=54 This month, we give a much-deserved salute to Agent Justin Skolnick, who came to us a year and a half ago and instantly became our resident Computer Guru. A spy to be reckoned with, Agent Skolnick lists his special talents as “stealth and dexterity” and is fluent in many of ... http://www.826chi.org/blog/?p=53