named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Bookmobile
Mobile literary initiative that tours regions such as the 13 original colonies to engage communities in discussions about democracy and literature.
Seriously Entertaining
Live literary performance series where writers share true, personal stories on thematic nights at venues like Joe's Pub in New York City.
SpeakTogether
Youth writing program engaging high school students, including showcases of student poets at public events.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Literary Events & Workshops 2 activities
- Hosts live literary cabaret eventsProduces the "Seriously Entertaining" live literary series in a dinner-theater format at Joe's Pub and other venues, where authors, poets, journalists, and performers present stories and ideas centered on a theme. The program has featured a diverse range of writers since 2014.
- Organizes collaborative literary events with partner institutionsCo-hosts public literary events with organizations such as The New Yorker, including author showcases and student poetry performances, to amplify visibility and engagement with literary arts.
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Youth Writing Contests & Recognition Programs 1 activity
- Delivers in-school literary and college readiness programsConducts in-school matinees, storytelling workshops, and after-school college readiness programs that connect published authors with students in under-resourced high schools across New York City, including at Union Settlement and Talent Unlimited High School.
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Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
- Operates a Bookmobile program distributing free booksRuns a fleet of Bookmobiles—including a modified box truck with 54 linear feet of shelving—to deliver brand-new books for free to underserved communities in New York City and beyond, distributing over 15,000 books in 2025 and tens of thousands since 2017 across 18 cities in 14 states.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Produces and distributes literary podcast contentCreates and releases podcast episodes featuring prominent writers and poets presenting personal and literary narratives, such as in the episode titled "The Razor’s Edge," extending the reach of its literary programming beyond live events.
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Storytelling and Literacy Resource Development 1 activity
- Provides educational resources and toolkits for teachersDistributes interdisciplinary creative arts toolkits and provides access to multimedia presentations for educators through the Teacher Network to support classroom integration of literary and artistic content.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$689K
Contributions & grants$807K117%
Program service revenue$41K6%
Investment income$12K2%
Other revenue$-171K
expenses
Total expenses$569K
Program expenses61%
Admin / overhead27%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$126K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$641K
Cash$437K
Investments$0
Liabilities$205K
Net assets$436K
Liquid reserves9.2 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +10.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL GALLANT | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL MARCH 2025) | 40 | $76K |
| DANA POINTS | INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL JUNE 2024) | 40 | $65K |
board members · 14
- ADEM BUNKEDDEKO — DIRECTOR
- AMANDA FOREMAN — CHAIRPERSON
- CATHY BARANCIK GRAHAM — DIRECTOR
- DANIELLE GANEK — DIRECTOR
- GILLIAN TETT — DIRECTOR
- HUGH CHISHOLM — DIRECTOR
- JOHN AVLON — DIRECTOR
- LARA HEIMERT — DIRECTOR
- LUCAS WITTMANN — DIRECTOR
- LUCY SYKES — DIRECTOR
- NICHOLAS DUBRUL — DIRECTOR
- OLGA VOTIS — DIRECTOR
- PETER GODWIN — DIRECTOR
- REG BARTON — DIRECTOR
relationships · 36
Who they work with
- 31st Ave Open Streets Partner — Collaborated with House of SpeakEasy to bring books to a car-free public space in Astoria on summer Saturdays.
- Albertine Books Partner — Partnered with SpeakEasy to serve the Haitian diaspora community in Brooklyn by providing books in French.
- Association of Marshall Scholars Partner — Collaborated on the "Mind the Gap" edition of Seriously Entertaining
- Astoria Food Pantry Partner — Co-located Bookmobile events with the food pantry to integrate book access into community service hubs.
- Bookshop.org Partner — Online bookselling platform through which proceeds from book sales support House of SpeakEasy's programs.
- Bookshop.org Partner — Online storefront partner for book sales linked to featured authors.
- Brooklyn Book Festival Partner — Partners with SpeakEasy to bring the bookmobile to Borough Hall for community book distribution.
- Brooklyn Public Library Partner — Collaborates with SpeakEasy at Grand Army Plaza for bookmobile events.
- Connected Chef Partner — Partnered to offer books alongside community programming during Open Streets events in Astoria.
- Crowdcast Partner — Platform partner for hosting virtual Seriously Entertaining shows.
- Danese Forbes Partner — Chair of the Educational Advisory Committee, guiding educational programming.
- Elissa D’Elia Partner — SpeakTogether Partner involved in literary programming initiatives.
- Elizabeth Alexander Partner — Featured poet and storyteller in the SpeakEasy Podcast Episode #2: "The Razor’s Edge"
- Garment District Alliance Partner — Co-hosted a public literary event on Broadway in celebration of Car-Free Earth Day.
- Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Partner — Partner in the “We the People” Bookmobile tour and provider of the “Declaration 1776” panel exhibition.
- James Rebanks Partner — Featured author and storyteller in the SpeakEasy Podcast Episode #2: "The Razor’s Edge"
- Joe’s Pub Partner — Hosts Seriously Entertaining events for House of SpeakEasy, including recurring and collaborative shows.
- Joe’s Pub Partner — Venue partner hosting Seriously Entertaining shows.
- Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater Partner — Venue partner hosting the Seriously Entertaining literary cabaret series.
- Library of America Partner — Collaborated on the "We the People" edition of Seriously Entertaining
- Library of America Partner — Partner in the “We the People” Bookmobile tour.
- Made for Me Books Partner — Partner organization supporting book distribution to K–12 students with diverse titles.
- Madeleine Thien Partner — Featured storyteller in the SpeakEasy Podcast Episode #2: "The Razor’s Edge"
- Narrative 4 Partner — Partner in the 2019 “Poetry to the People” Bookmobile tour.
- National Book Foundation Partner — Collaborates with the National Book Foundation’s Book Rich Environments initiative to distribute books through the SpeakEasy Bookmobile.
- New York City Housing Authority Partner — Collaborates with SpeakEasy to deliver books, backpacks, and school supplies to students in public housing developments.
- New York City Housing Authority Partner — Partners with NYCHA to provide free books to residents in The Bronx, Queens, East Harlem, and Brooklyn.
- Podcast on the Streets Partner — Co-located Bookmobile activities with podcast events during Open Streets programming in Astoria.
- Rebecca Keith Partner — SpeakTogether Partner involved in literary programming initiatives.
- Talent Unlimited High School Partner — Partners to lead summer writing workshops for rising juniors and seniors.
+ 6 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Author-Student Mentorship Through Storytellingmethodology: mentorship_through_storytellingBy connecting published authors with students in under-resourced schools through workshops and performances, the organization fosters literacy and critical thinking, because direct interaction with writers serves as mentorship that increases student engagement and self-expression.
- Book Ownership as Empowermentmethodology: book-ownership-as-wealthBy distributing free books—especially in book deserts and underserved communities—the organization promotes literacy and agency, because book ownership is seen as a form of wealth and a fundamental right that empowers identity affirmation, civic understanding, and lifelong engagement with ideas.
- Culturally Responsive Narrative Engagementmethodology: culturally_responsive_literacyBy curating storytelling programs and book selections in partnership with communities and using narratives that reflect lived experiences, the organization increases engagement among youth and marginalized groups, because culturally responsive content builds relevance, trust, and inclusion in literary culture.
- Literary Cabaret Model for Engagementmethodology: literary_cabaret_modelBy using a dinner-theater-style literary cabaret format with themed storytelling, the organization creates intimate, engaging environments that demonstrate the personal relevance of stories and foster deeper audience connection to literature, because experiential formats increase emotional resonance and retention.