Dave Eggers Wins $250,000 Heinz Award

Posted on September 12, 2007

Dave Eggers has won the $250,000 Heinz Award. He will donate the money to his nonprofit writing group, 826 Valencia, a writing laboratory for young students. At 37 he is the youngest winner ever of the award.

"I've never gotten a financial award like that in my life," Eggers said Tuesday, calling from an airport in Los Angeles before catching a flight home to San Francisco. Eggers is one of six Americans to receive this year's awards, presented in five categories by the foundation. His category is Arts and Humanities. "Dave Eggers is not only an accomplished and versatile man of letters but the protagonist of a real-life story of generosity and inspiration," said Teresa Heinz in a written statement.
The author of the best-selling memoir "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" (2000), Eggers found out about a month ago that he'd won the award, which honors the late Sen. John Heinz (R-Penn.). Heinz's widow, Teresa, called to tell him he'd won, which he said was "surreal." Not for a moment, though, did he give even a passing thought to spending the money on himself. The 826 laboratories, which help inner-city youth with writing skills, are now nationwide. The seventh, in Boston, opens this fall and until now, only had $12,000 in start-up funds.
Winning the award is "validation for the work we're doing at 826," Eggers said simply. And, he added, "It's a relief." Eggers said he's been feeling guilty for the last few years because he was unable to personally give money to the 826 Valencia projects. "It's been eating away at me for a couple of years. It's embarrassing. I felt like a father who can't feed his kids."

Dave Eggers also founded the independent publishing house McSweeney's, which a literary quarterly as well as books. He co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, with director Spike Jonz. The film will be released next year. You can read more about 826 Valencia at the website.