We started Story Pirates simply by asking, what if, in a few short sessions, we could blow kids’ minds, perking them up from their educational malaise and awakening their innate confidence as storytellers?
In our first year, we were proud to serve several thousand students. Today, between our expanded work in classrooms across the country and our slate of popular media — including the multi-award-winning Story Pirates Podcast—we reach roughly a million people every month.
We recently asked some of the young authors who participated in Story Pirates as kids, “What was the lasting impact of that experience?” Here are some of their responses:
“My story aired when I was in 2nd grade. I had just been diagnosed with dyslexia, and I didn’t have much confidence in my writing. Hearing my story on Story Pirates made me feel like, despite the challenges I had at school, I can accomplish anything.” — Nava, age 14
"Being featured by Story Pirates was a formative event in my relationship with writing. Even after eight years, it's still my favorite pastime, and I owe it in large part to Story Pirates for giving me the confidence to believe in myself as a storyteller." — Jonah, age 18
"Having my own original story featured on a public platform made me realize that anything is possible." - Connor, age 16
As you may have heard on the Story Pirates Podcast, we have been severely impacted by many of the same issues affecting other valued free forms of educational media like PBS. As a result, for the first time, we do not have adequate funding to complete the current season. This comes at a moment when our mission is more critical than ever. Many of the Title I schools we serve are struggling with the peak effects of pandemic-era learning loss, disproportionately leaving elementary schoolers behind in reading and writing.
We invite you to support our ambitious plans to reach more kids than ever before in 2026 by:
Expanding Story Quest
The Return of School Assemblies Return
Educational Programming and Story Love in Spanish
The Launch of Story Pirates Satellites
But right now, Story Pirates has an urgent and uniquely uplifting role to play in fostering the creative development of the next generation, and we need your help to make it happen by clicking here. Last month, as we launched Season 8 of the Story Pirates Podcast, we announced a crowdfunding campaign with some truly incredible perks that we’ll never offer again, like a custom cameo for $150, an original song for $300, or a story adaptation for $5,000. As we finish out the year, your tax-deductible donation of any amount will help us fund continued production of the Story Pirates Podcast, and you’ll also fuel everything we offer, from Story Quest and live assemblies in Title I schools to helping extend our footprint in multiple cities through Story Pirates Satellites.
Every kid is a brilliant writer waiting to be unleashed, and every dollar we raise helps us reach more kids. Thank you, so much, for your support.
With gratitude,
The Story Pirates
P.S. Do you want to become a credited producer of the Story Pirates Podcast? We’ve created a limited number of spots for patrons in the fortunate position to support our work in a bigger way. If you would like to make a deeply meaningful impact, we’d love to have a conversation about a custom, one-of-a-kind package for your family. Drop us a line!
Story Pirates Changemakers is a DBA of Creative Minds NYC Inc., EIN 02-0720786
Donations made by check can be made out to Story Pirates and mailed to:
Story Pirates Changemakers
35 West 35th Street Suite #701
New York, NY 10001