826 Boston Receives Wellington Management Foundation Catalyst Gift

Release: October 21, 2016
Contact: Jenna Leschuk, 826 Boston Grants and Communications Manager

Boston, MA: 826 Boston is proud to announce that it has recently been awarded a Catalyst Gift from The Wellington Management Foundation.

The $250,000 grant, paid over three years, will fund the creation of 826 Boston’s third Writers’ Room in a Boston public school. The Writers’ Room program is the primary focus of expansion in the organization’s five-year plan to substantially increase its service in five additional BPS schools.

826 Boston currently operates Writers’ Rooms at the John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science in Roxbury and the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Dorchester, in partnership with Northeastern University. 826 Boston Writers’ Rooms are fully staffed writing centers within Boston public schools. They are operated by 826 Boston staff and Commonwealth Corps Service Members, and fueled by the support of trained tutors and co-ops from Northeastern. The Writers’ Room provides whole-class tutoring support for writing projects and classroom assignments, innovative project-based learning opportunities, and creative after-school programming that transforms the culture of writing within a school.

“The Wellington Catalyst Grant is transformative for our organization. The multi-year support will fuel our growth at a pivotal point in our strategic plan, and help take our organization to the next level,” said 826 Boston Executive Director Jessica Drench.

826 Boston plans to open one additional Writers’ Room per year over the next five years, reaching more than 3,000 additional BPS students through its high-impact programming. The Wellington Management Foundation’s Catalyst Gift to 826 Boston will launch the organization’s first Writers’ Room in a K-8 school during the 2017-2018 school year. The school has not yet been selected.

In August 2016, The Wellington Management Foundation announced $1.485 million in grants to six nonprofits in Boston, Lowell, and Chicago as part of its second round of Catalyst Gifts. These one-time gifts ranged from $200,000 to $300,000 and support one of three themes—strategic expansion, systemic change, and/or new program launch.