We’re excited to introduce you to our June Volunteer of the Month, Orli Matlow! Orli started volunteering with us at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year with our middle schoolers, and brings her excitement into the classroom every week. Learn more about Orli by reading her interview below:

826NYC: How did you first get involved with 826NYC and why did you decide to volunteer?

Orli: I began volunteering during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Looking for inspiration and a way to engage with creativity, I found the community and was reminded of why I love writing in the first place!

826NYC: What’s your favorite part of 826NYC?

Orli: The students’ enthusiasm! I am inspired by the students’ lack of hesitation when diving into a new project or prompt. They brainstorm ideas during the allotted time, but when it’s time to write, they dive right in, and it’s a quality I try to channel when I am doing my own writing and faced with a blinking cursor.

826NYC: What do you do when you’re not at 826NYC?

Orli: I’m a comedy writer and performer whose work spans standup, commercials, and even a docuseries about the Cold War. I also host trivia, teach standup workshops to teens and older adults, and try my best to keep up with Marvel movies and Broadway shows.

826NYC: What advice would you give a new volunteer?

Orli: Ask the students questions! More often than not, they’re happy to share what they’re looking at on their phones before class, and I’ve learned a lot about hairstyling and soccer moves!

826NYC: What are your superpowers?

Orli: Puns, trivia, and song lyric retention, including “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

Want to support our students this summer? Sign up for a volunteer orientation today!