Chicago's Barrel of Monkeys is a winning nonprofit in the Chase Community Giving competition, receiving 1,615 votes. This will go a long way to help a group which we personally know is a great cause. Congrats!

Our resident interface and user experience whiz Tai Palmgren is a member of Barrel of Monkeys, a local nonprofit that offers an alternative environment for children and creativity. Barrel of Monkeys teaches creative writing workshops in Chicago Public Schools. These actor-educators adapt the stories and poems written by the students into sketches and songs, and perform them in a show for the school. We profiled Tai about working with BOM and the ‘Art of Theater for Education’ in last year’s Chicago Artists Month series, talking specifically about creative process.

Tai is part of the theater and education company, Barrel of Monkeys and is their Graphic Designer. This theater ensemble works with some of the most under-served students in Chicago utilizing creative writing, self-esteem building, and adapting student-written stories for the stage. All of this is part of their mission presented in a ‘smart, funny theatre experience.’