Former Arkie and Hendrix alum Lauren Hall is the latest featured in Bookslut’s Indie Heartthrob Interview series. She’s the development director of 826 National, the nonprofit tutoring organization founded by Dave Eggers and associated with McSweeney’s. There are seven cities across the country with 826 branches. Each has a front — a superhero supply store, a spy shop, a pirate outfitter — masking, sort of, the back and bulk of the space, where students come to get free tutoring in writing.
After Eggers came to the Clinton School a few months back, there was some talk, among some friends of mine, about trying to apply to get a branch here. It’s quite a bit of work, but from what I’ve read, it seems like it could be hugely beneficial.
Hall’s Q&A offers a nice overview of the program.