For the past few years, the people at McSweeney’s have been opening tutoring centers to help kids improve their language arts skills and inspire them to write. The latest affiliate in the 826 empire will be opening its doors in Seattle. While the children of San Francisco improve their writing skills in a pirate supply store [826valencia] and the kids of Brooklyn study in a superhero outfittery [~826nyc], Seattle’s aspiring writers will hang out in a “space travel and exploration” shop.

From the looks of its “who are we?” page, 826 Seattle has an outstanding pedigree: the founder, Teri Hein, was a integral part of the Hutch School, and the Board of Directors and Advisory board includes an all-star highly qualified cast. With a late-spring/early summer target opening date, the center plans to offer free tutoring, mentoring, and a broadcast studio for area children (ages 8 - 18).

This is a really exciting development for the community, and they can probably use more than a little support from you. Whether it’s donating time, money, or items, there’s likely to be a way for you to help the center have a successful launch. Check out the (really nice) website to find out more. Do it for the children. Or at least for people who like to read good writing.