826 Valencia was founded in 2002 by acclaimed author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari to address educational inequities in San Francisco by offering free tutoring and individualized writing support for students in under-resourced communities. We provide a creative environment that cultivates imagination and wonder.

Over the years, we have developed a robust range of writing, tutoring, and publishing programs — all free of charge — for K-12 students and public schools. Programs include storytelling and podcasting field trips, in-school writing support, after-school and weekend tutoring and literacy support, summer camps and day trips, writing and publishing workshops, internships, youth leadership and cultural identity development programs, and college scholarships. All 826 programs culminate in professionally designed publications, podcasts, and/or design products (e.g., poster art) featuring students’ writing and reaching audiences worldwide.

826 Valencia programs are held at our three 826 Writing Centers in San Francisco’s Mission, Tenderloin, and Mission Bay neighborhoods, and at sixteen key partner schools across San Francisco. Our spaces are designed to inspire creativity and foster imagination, including our stores at each Center. At the Pirate Supply Store in our Mission Center we purvey, yes, supplies for pirates. Woodland Creature Outfitters Ltd. in Mission Bay transports visitors to an enchanted forest, and King Carl’s Emporium in the Tenderloin is an imaginative space where students can explore new worlds. We sell our students’ publications at our Mission and Mission Bay stores, and all proceeds go right back into our programs.