Dear Friends and Supporters,

October 2010 marked 826 Boston,s third anniversary, and we find ourselves at a truly exciting milestone. To date, 826 Boston has reached more than 4,500 Boston Public School students with our innovative, free writing and tutoring programs, and we,ve harnessed the talents of more than 1,000 volunteers from across greater Boston to deliver these programs.

I,m not the least bit surprised that it was one of our whip-smart after-school writers who summed up the collective hopes and dreams of 826 Boston in one clear-eyed sentence.

We want to know the future,,, wrote Jairol Martinez, age 12,

so we write stories.,,

Sure, it,s true that Jairol was describing space-age robots locked in battle with a sports team of the future...but he also quite aptly describes the work we do every day at our writing center in Roxbury and in surrounding Boston Public schools. We help students divine their own stories, and we equip them as writers with the tools to do so.

Leah Artega, a parent of one of our after-school students, said this about the impact of our programs:

The effects of this program are far-reaching. 826 Boston gives opportunities to kids who otherwise may not be successful in their academic endeavors. I am confident that 826 Boston will have long- reaching effects on the lives of these children.,,

I hope you find our 2009 - 2010 report as inspiring as I do our daily work. Thank you for your belief in 826 Boston and for helping us to raise a community of writers.

Here,s to good reading and writing in the year ahead,

Daniel Johnson, Executive Director, 826 Boston

Dear Friends and Supporters,

October 2010 marked 826 Boston,s third anniversary, and we find ourselves at a truly exciting milestone. To date, 826 Boston has reached more than 4,500 Boston Public School students with our innovative, free writing and tutoring programs, and we,ve harnessed the talents of more than 1,000 volunteers from across greater Boston to deliver these programs.

I,m not the least bit surprised that it was one of our whip-smart after-school writers who summed up the collective hopes and dreams of 826 Boston in one clear-eyed sentence.

We want to know the future,,, wrote Jairol Martinez, age 12,

so we write stories.,,

Sure, it,s true that Jairol was describing space-age robots locked in battle with a sports team of the future...but he also quite aptly describes the work we do every day at our writing center in Roxbury and in surrounding Boston Public schools. We help students divine their own stories, and we equip them as writers with the tools to do so.

Leah Artega, a parent of one of our after-school students, said this about the impact of our programs:

The effects of this program are far-reaching. 826 Boston gives opportunities to kids who otherwise may not be successful in their academic endeavors. I am confident that 826 Boston will have long- reaching effects on the lives of these children.,,

I hope you find our 2009 - 2010 report as inspiring as I do our daily work. Thank you for your belief in 826 Boston and for helping us to raise a community of writers.

Here,s to good reading and writing in the year ahead,

Daniel Johnson, Executive Director, 826 Boston

Daily Log: 826 Boston

December 14, 2010

8:03am

9:27am

10:02am

11:07am

12:05pm

1:11pm

2:33pm

2:49pm

4:30pm

5:10pm

6:27pm

8:00pm

8:17pm

Open Doors to Greater Boston Bigfoot Research Institute. Feed Tarantula.

First volunteer shows up for morning story-telling and book-making field trip.

23 Third Graders from Orchard Gardens K-8 School and three teachers pile off bus.

Students title their original story The Ishkabishka Town Abduction.,,

Last student collects published book. No one misses bus for the 463rd time.

Four volunteers arrive in Ms. Gabor's class at English High school.

First after-school tutors arrive at Washington Street center.

Samsam and Sumaya arrive for after-school program. 38 more students follow.

Second wave of after-school students arrive. Snacks all around. One-millionth Goldfish cracker served.

Students work on stories for next collection, Kibbles Was Fine, But the Car Had a Dent.,,

Prep for volunteer orientation. 139,612th Goldfish cracker swept up. First of 12 new prospective tutors signs in.

Wrap up orientation. Take inventory. Need more pencils, tarantula feed, Goldfish.

Lights out. Lock up.

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------

Located in Roxbury’s Egleston Square, 826 Boston is a nonprofi t organization

dedicated to teaching creative and expository writing to students ages 6-18,

and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Our services are structured around the understanding that great leaps in

learning can happen with one-on-one attention and that strong writing skills

are fundamental to future success. We provide after-school tutoring, class

fi eld trips, writing workshops, in-school tutoring, and student publication

opportunities to underserved youth in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain.

Raising a Community of Writers

Ubah Huss ein

Mother of Sumaya and Samsam Ismael,

826 Boston After-Schoo l Students

Sumaya, age 8

When my oldest daughter started kindergarten, she was uncomfortable reading. My family had escaped famine and war in Somalia, and I was 15 years old before I had ever set foot in a classroom, so there were things I couldn,t help her with. By the time I got home from work, it was often too late to try. I knew she needed tutoring, but it was hard to fi nd and hard to afford.

Then I learned about 826 Boston, right on the block where we lived. I enrolled Sumaya in the after-school program. When her younger sister, Samsam, turned 6, I enrolled her, too.

2009 - 2010 Quick Program Facts 2,277: Students reached by 826 Boston

982: Volunteers involved as tutors

426: Programming sessions delivered

2,783,652: Pounds of homework completed

95.5: Percentage of parents and teachers pleased

Teachers compliment Sumaya and Samsam all the time for how complete and on-time their work is. Both girls made the honor roll this past year. And it,s all because they have a safe and supportive place to get their work done after school. I used to pay for after-school tutoring. It was a burden to the family, and half of Sumaya,s homework wasn,t done when she got home. But I don,t have to worry about that now: there,s no big bill, and the tutors at 826 make sure the kids get their homework done.

Supporting 826 Boston means supporting families like mine. Things would be really hard for us without the free tutoring and writing programs, and all the support 826 Boston provides for my children. I,m grateful that my kids are getting the help I didn,t get and a better chance at a brighter future.

“It’s amazing what progress my daughters have made. They are

such eager readers and writers now, and they’ve become so independent

at getting their homework done.”

Jess enia Nunez

Published Author & Student

at Greater Egleston High Schoo l

Birds fl y in the hot summer sky. Water rolls down the

pavement from the open fi re hydrant, watering down my

friends playing in the street. I hear the doorbell and

I quickly strap on my Velcro sneakers, the ones with

fl ashing lights on the bottom. I run down

the stairs, excited to play double-dutch.

On my way to the sidewalk I come across

my mother. She is on her knees pulling

up leaves from around her idol, which

was made by human hands. She makes it

look so pretty. As the night falls,

Hydrant Memory

Jessenia, age 18, participated in 826 Boston,s publishing

project while a senior at Greater Egleston Community

High School. She and her classmates shot original

photographs and then composed writing in response.

The inspiring results were published in We Turned

Back to See Where We Came From,, in May 2010.

Armed with a scholarship from 826 Boston, Jessenia

currently attends Bunker Hill Community College.

One day she hopes to write a memoir.

“Creating this book was a long and challenging journey.

There were so many friends and tutors who helped and supported me. Next time I

write I won’t be as hesitant.”

About the Author

winter enters. The days start to grow colder and the

trees grow barer. Slowly but surely, snow begins to

cover it up. The statue gets covered in snow. Months go

by and it begins to melt. Out of nowhere, I see the vine

wrapped around the fence and the flowers start to bloom.

About the Author

Ernesto tutors Jaden, age 9, during after-school tutoring.

Ernesto Hernandez

826 Boston After-Schoo l Tutor

I grew up in this neighborhood and I know what it,s like for kids here. Our parents have to work hard to fi nd activities and opportunities of any kind for their kids. Back in my day, there was nothing like 826 Boston. So it was really amazing to see all the fun and crazy things that kids get to do—while they are learning—at 826. There aren,t too many places where kids can learn how to mummify chickens, build bridges, make ice cream and also learn how to write about it all, too.

At the science writing camp this summer, our kids were going on fi eld trips and learning about robotics and holograms and then working those experiences

into stories about the kinds of superheroes they wanted to be. Pretty cool stuff for your average 8- or 9-year-old from Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, or Dorchester.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed volunteering there. I ended up recommending it to a few other people in the neighborhood because it offers so much to kids.

Plus, tutoring at 826 Boston gave me the practical experience I was looking for as an educator. I,m pursuing my Master,s degree in education now and working part-time as a teacher,s aide at a public school. I got some valuable experience working at 826. I,d never worked one-on-one before with students struggling with a piece of writing, for instance. I learned some things about teaching reluctant writers. 826 Boston turned out to be a great place for me to learn, too!

“Back in my day, there was nothing like 826 Boston. So it was really amazing to see all the fun and crazy things that kids get to

do—while they are learning—at 826.”

After-School Tutoring Quick Facts 2009-2010

292: Volunteers who served as tutors

128: Students who attended after-school and Saturday tutoring

150: After-school tutoring sessions

91.7: Percentage of parents who saw their child’s writing skills improve

1,913: Number of No.2 pencils sharpened, chewed, and ground down to nothing

into stories about the kinds of superheroes they wanted to be. Pretty cool stuff for your average 8- or 9-year-old from Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, or Dorchester.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed volunteering there. I ended up recommending it to a few other people in the neighborhood because it offers so much to kids.

Plus, tutoring at 826 Boston gave me the practical experience I was looking for as an educator. I,m pursuing my Master,s degree in education now and working part-time as a teacher,s aide at a public school. I got some valuable experience working at 826. I,d never worked one-on-one before with students struggling with a piece of writing, for instance. I learned some things about teaching reluctant writers. 826 Boston turned out to be a great place for me to learn, too!

Sophia, Age 9 Jairol, Age 12

Shakayla, Age 17 Khaya, Age 9Khaya, Age 9

“Seeing one’s name in print can easily increasea student’s self-esteem. Imagine, years from

now, these authors showing this book to their children, and inspiring them to write.”

– Edwin Gonzalez, Student Author

A Handful of

Our Student Authors

A Few of the Boo ks We

Published in 2009-2010

A Few of the Boo ks We

Published in 2009-2010

Carrie: Making a real impact in kids, lives is an

important philanthropic goal for us. Herbie and

I both care deeply about education. I come from a

family of teachers and have done a lot of tutoring

myself in a juvenile detention center. I know the

impact that tutoring can have on the lives of young

people who are underserved or at-risk.

Herbie: One thing I really love about 826 Boston,

aside from the great literacy work they do with

low-income kids, is that it,s an organization with

a real seriousness of purpose that doesn,t take

Herbert Bohnet &

Carr ie Simons,

826 Boston Donors

itself too seriously. The whimsy and the silliness

just take the sting out of something like after-

school tutoring.

I signed on as a contestant in the Mustache-a-thon

last year. And I ended up winning, even though

my mustache was pretty ridiculous in the first few

weeks. I managed to raise a few thousand dollars

for the programs at 826 Boston. This is what I mean

about the wonderful whimsy and creativity of the

place. Where else can you fundraise on your face?

Carrie: That spirit of creativity carries over into

everything 826 Boston does with the kids it serves.

When I read about it, when I check out the stories

the students write and see the beautiful books they

publish, I know it sounds kind of silly, but I wish

I were 10 years old again and there!

“I know the impact that tutoring can have on the lives of young people who are

underserved or at-risk. Making a real impact in kids’

lives is an important philanthropic goal for us.”

826 Boston Fundraising

Report FY 20108

26

Bos

ton

In

com

eJ

uly

1, 2

00

9 –

Ju

ne

30

, 20

10T

otal

In

com

e: $

34

0,0

53

82

6 B

osto

n

Pro

gram

All

ocat

ion

sJ

uly

1, 2

00

9 –

Ju

ne

30

, 20

10

$10,000 and above: Bigfoot Benefactors

A. C. Ratshesky Foundation

Amelia Peabody Foundation

Andrew Cohn and Marcia Leavitt

Bank of America Charitable Foun-dation

Ellen and Kevin Whalen

Esther B. Kahn Charitable Foundation

Hans and Margret Rey/Curious George Fund of 2001

Holly McGrath and David Bruce

The Roxbury Trust Fund

Social Venture Partners

The Ludcke Foundation

Tiny Tiger Foundation

$5,001-9,999: Giant Squid Givers

John Bible and Ann Vollman Bible

$2,001-5,000: Dover Demon Donors

826 National

Boston Cultural Council

Clipper Ship Foundation

Elisabeth Carter and CDQ Trust

Elizabeth and Thomas Johnson

Google Community Grants Fund of Tides Foundation

Herbert W. Vaughan

Jaime and Christopher Reid

Janice Quinn

Jason Schulte and Jill Robertson

Jon Fullerton and Louisa Lund

Kevin N. and Wendy Alexander

Leaves of Grass Fund

The Fuller Foundation

$1,001-2,000: Piasa Bird Philanthropists

Carrie Simons and Herbie Bohnet

Alex Macdonald and Maureen Strafford

Carol Greenwald and John Brouder

CRA International

Daniel Johnson and Ebele Okpokwasili-Johnson

Edward Boches

Harold and Elizabeth Hestnes

Jeffrey Mayersohn

John Cogan, Jr. and Mary Cornille

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mark T. Johnson and Parrish Sadeghi

Donors FY 2010Message of Thanks: 826 Boston relies on the financial support of hundreds of individual donors and a handful of philanthropic foundations each year for funding that allows us to offer 100% of our programs for free. We raise a resounding ,Bravo!, to the following supporters who leant their support between July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010.

Leaves of Grass Fund

The Fuller Foundation

$1,001-2,000: Piasa Bird Philanthropists

Carrie Simons and Herbie Bohnet

Alex Macdonald and Maureen Strafford

Carol Greenwald and John Brouder

CRA International

Daniel Johnson and Ebele Okpokwasili-Johnson

Edward Boches

Harold and Elizabeth Hestnes

Jeffrey Mayersohn

John Cogan, Jr. and Mary Cornille

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mark T. Johnson and Parrish Sadeghi

Donors FY 2010Message of Thanks: 826 Boston relies on the financial support of hundreds of individual donors and a handful of philanthropic foundations each year for funding that allows us to offer 100% of our programs for free. We raise a resounding ,Bravo!, to the following supporters who leant their support between July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010.

(donors contd.)

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

The Salvatore Giordano Foundation

Wendy Strothman and John Bishop

$501-1,000: Squonk Supporters

Chris McClelland

City of Boston Charitable Trust

Daniel Hannafin and Craig Hannafin

Daniel Rudolph

Dartmouth Company, Inc.

David and Debra Smookler

DigitalAdvisor LLC

Gena and Brett Barenholtz

Gregory Netland and Kimberly Holliday

Jeffery Orkin

Jen Flynn

Jennifer A. Lupica

Leah Price

Paul Kaplan

Peter Lieberman and Rita Ranucci

Praveen K. and Lynette M. Mandal

Rebecca Taplin

Starbucks

Stephen Oleskey and Judith Tick

Andy Moody

Beth and Ian W. Doreian

$251-500: Lake Champlain Champ (Champtanystro-pheus) Champions

Candice Lo

Charles and Charlene Hyle

Daniel Sigward

Darra and Lampros Minos

Diane Savitzky and Michael Pappone

Hannah Nolan-Spohn

Irene Gauthier

J. Adam Bailey

James Fiala

Jen Bluestein

Jose Ortiz and Evelyn Arana-Ortiz

Justine Roberts

Lehigh Fluid Power, Inc.

Marc Foster and Andrea Roberts

Maria Teran

Matthew and Maya Mosca

Pierre Valette and Hilary Selden Illick

Scott E. Shelton

Stuart Patterson

Toni Fournier

$100-250: Chupacabra Contributors

A. Catherine Barnett

AJ McGuire

Alan Sama

Alicia Sama

Alicia Savage

Alys Kremer

Angel Smith

Ann ,,Betsy,, Groban

Ann Marie Collier

Barbara & Bill Bennett

Benjamin and Katherine Taylor

Berthin Hyde

Bohdan Gregory Mysko and Sandra Mysko

Broadway Bicycle School LTD

Bruce Gaffney

Carol Hanna

Chip Baker

Chris Affleck

Christine Blum

Christopher Jones

Christopher W. and Marianne Leone Cooper

Connie Chow

Constance Chandler

Cynthia Parsons

Dana Bisordi

Daniel Turnbull

Danielle Spencer

David Herzog

David Marotta and Caroline Marotta

David Duehren and Anne Murphy

Deborah Gross

Deborah Porter

Devra First

Dimitri McKay

Dorit Ron

Dorothy Nethery

Elizabeth Dimenno

Elizabeth Nolan

Elizabeth Parkinson

Emily Ann Paramore and Kendall McWilliam

George and Sharyn Neble

Greg Harris

Harley Gates

Helen Beth Jacobson

Henry and Maxine Freudenberg

Ida Almanza

James Miller

Jamie Mair

Janet Noonan and Edward Rabinovitz

Janet Tashjian

Jennifer Bastress

Jennifer Coates

Jennifer Rikoski

John and Sarah McAlpin

John Francisconi

John Joseph

John Paap

Joseph Perkell

Judith and James Sandler

Judy Ballance

Judy C. and Mike N. Schatz

Judy Ozbun

Julia Glass

Julian T. and Susan Levine Houston

Julie Driscoll and

Robert Morsilli

Julie Palmer

Julie Scourfield

June S. Bowman

Karen Peguero

Katherine Setzer

Kathleen M. Macridis-Ennis and David Ennis

Kelly Link

Kevin Weir

Kristen Aber

Laura Roberts and Edward Belove

Lawrence S. Aaronson

Lee Aulson

Linda Shugart

Lorenzo Almanza

M Caleb Neelon

Marjorie Daley

Mark D. Hadley

Mark Robinson

Mary Hudley

Matthew Collier

McKinsey and Company, Inc.

Michael Bigenwald

Michael Rea

Michele Marquez

Nancie Scheirer

Nancy Curran

Robert Morsilli

Julie Palmer

Julie Scourfield

June S. Bowman

Karen Peguero

Katherine Setzer

Kathleen M. Macridis-Ennis and David Ennis

Kelly Link

Kevin Weir

Kristen Aber

Laura Roberts and Edward Belove

Lawrence S. Aaronson

Lee Aulson

Linda Shugart

Lorenzo Almanza

M Caleb Neelon

Marjorie Daley

Mark D. Hadley

Mark Robinson

Mary Hudley

Matthew Collier

McKinsey and Company, Inc.

Michael Bigenwald

Michael Rea

Michele Marquez

Nancie Scheirer

Nancy Curran

826 Boston 3035 Washington St. Roxbury MA 02119

www.826boston.org tel. 617.442.5400

Nicholas Almanza

Pamela Rosenberg

(donors contd.)

Pardis J. Parsa

Penn and Emily Eveleth Young

Piper McNealy

Rep. Liz Malia

Richard Longo

Richard MacKintosh

Richard Michael Mayo

Richard Starry

Rick Wimberly

Rob Bertsche

Robert and Caroline Abernethy

Robert Bisordi

Sandra Simons

Sasha Codinha

Scott Englander

Stephen Shugart

Steve Smith

Teresa Doyle and Itai Lourie

Terre Young

Thomas Perrotta

Tim and Amy Riley

Tracy McDermott

Vivian Gainer

Volan Gulen

William Jewett

“We want to know the future, so

we write stories.” – Jairol Martinez

Graphic Design: ColorQuarry.com

826 Boston Staff:

Daniel Johnson, Executive Director

Lindsey Plait Jones, Program Director

Karen Sama, Program Coordinator

Alia Hamada, Massachusetts Promise Fellow Outreach Coordinator

Ryan Smith, Americorps VISTA Store and Events Coordinator

826 Boston Board Members:

Kevin Whalen, President

Wendy Strothman, Vice President

Jon Fullerton, Treasurer

Andrew H. Cohn, Legal Counsel

Carol Greenwald, Clerk

John Bible

Marc Foster

John Giordano

Helen Jacobson

Evelyn Arana Ortiz

Justine Roberts

826 Boston Staff :

Daniel Johnson, Executive Director

Lindsey Plait Jones, Program Director

Karen Sama, Program Coordinator

Alia Hamada, Massachusetts Promise Fellow Outreach Coordinator

Ryan Smith, Americorps VISTA Store and Events Coordinator

826 Boston Board Members:

Kevin Whalen, President

Wendy Strothman, Vice President

Jon Fullerton, Treasurer

Andrew H. Cohn, Legal Counsel

Carol Greenwald, Clerk

John Bible

Marc Foster

John Giordano

Helen Jacobson

Evelyn Arana Ortiz

Justine Roberts

Since opening its doors in October 2007, 826 Boston

has reached over 4,500 Boston Public School

students with its free writing and tutoring

programs. We have published student writers

in The New York Times,,, The Boston Globe,,,

and in numerous original publications, such as

I Live Real Close to Where You Used to Live:

Kids, Letters to First Lady Obama.,,

826 Boston invites you to become involved with

our work by visiting our center in Roxbury,s

Egleston Square.