Dave Eggers

Founder of 826 Valencia 

"Many writers, having written a first best-seller, might see it as a nice way to start a career. He started a movement instead." -TIME 

As a founder of the San Francisco-based tutoring centre 826 Valencia, Dave Eggers has brought together community members to help young people excel in their writing and believe in themselves like they never had before.  

Dave is a writer, editor, publisher and an inspiring social innovator of our time. Here is someone who dropped a pebble in the ocean and created a tidal wave.

Dave is a spring chicken (born in 1970) but already he has a wealth of experience under his belt. He has written a memoir, multiple novels and pieces of non-fiction as well as founded an independent publishing company and given birth to a brilliant tutoring centre concept (which he describes as a "weird happy accident"…we'll explain that later). In 2005 he was named one Time Magazine's "World's 100 Most Influential People". He has been given $250,000 by the Heinz Foundations and most recently he was the recipient of TEDPrize 2008. 

But the reason why we highlight Dave Eggers in this guide is not because of his long list of titles, awards and accomplishments. We share his story with you because it is about taking action on a street level and making a beautiful difference in the world by embodying your true passion in life.

Back in 2000, Dave was living in New York. He was writing his first book "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius".  It was at this time that a social need became very apparent to him. It wasn't until he moved back to San Francisco and gathered together old friends and new friends that his idea about how to face this need took flight.  

The challenge

Many students at city schools are not able to keep up with the class.  

The influences

English is not spoken as the first language in many households, some children have learning disabilities, the schools are understaffed and under-funded, the teachers are overworked and have little time on their hands and no opportunity to spend one-on-one time with their students.  

Dave's inspiration

His mom was a teacher, his sister became a teacher and he had many friends who were teachers. He heard a lot about the struggles they were dealing with and knew first hand that they were hardworking and inspiring people. 

The thought paving the way to the solution

Teachers can't give the students the attention they need. But writers (like Dave and his friends) work flexible hours and often have little to do during the day. They have the time that the teachers lack. 

The innovative solution

826 Valencia- A tutoring lab, a pirate supply store (yes, pirate no spelling errors here, ed.) and a publishing company, all in one - A place where writers, publishers and students can work together under the same roof. 

Then and Now

At first 826 Valencia had 12 volunteers. Today the organization calls upon more than 1400 volunteers to tutor at the centre and in classrooms of local schools.  

In the beginning the pirate supply store in the front of the building was created simply because the location was zoned for retail, so by law they had to sell something. However, it turned out that the eye patches, peg legs etc. have been selling and the profits now pay the rent for 826 Valencia location. 

Some of the students involved with what has now become National 826 have had their work published. In addition to the original San Francisco centre, the organization now has chapters in Brooklyn, Ann Arbor, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston and Chicago. 

Dave is a man of words but he is also a man of action. It is because of this combination that his initiative has been so widely successful.  The tutoring project has shed light on many lives, but because the story is being told, many other similar projects are springing up as a result of it.  With community support a website has now been created for this purpose of sharing stories and inspiring others. Check it out and join the vision! 
 

"The schools need you. The teachers need you. The students and parents need you. They need your actual person, your physical personhood and your open minds and open ears and boundless compassion sitting next to them, listening and nodding and asking questions for hours at a time. Some of these kids just don't plain know how good they are, how smart and how much they have to say. You can tell them. You can shine that light on them one human interaction at a time. So we hope you'll join us." - Dave Eggers