Our Mission
Letters Charity (formerly Poverty Alleviation Chicago) is a nonprofit organization on a mission to use Art as a conduit to transform passive compassion into immediate assistance through the distribution of money given, without expectation
or judgment, directly to families experiencing poverty.
Board of Directors
Fred Armisen
comedian, actor
Alexander Burke
musician, composer, producer, writer, actor
Kirk Crenshaw
executive, entrepreneur, start-up advisor
Drew Hester, treasurer
VP Controllership,GBS,Tax & Treasurey, Beam Suntory
Liz Kozak
writer, producer, author
Brad Morris
actor, writer, producer
Katie Rich
comedian, writer, producer, actress
Spencer Tweedy
musician, writer
Ashley Nicole Black
comedian, actress, writer, producer
Jennifer Candy
actress, comedian, producer
Chelsea Devantez
writer, comedian, filmmaker
Shantira Jackson
writer, producer, actress, comedian
Kate Lambert
actor, improviser, writer, producer
Rashida Olayiwola
comedian, actress, writer
Sam Richardson
actor, comedian, writer, producer
Heather Whinna, president
filmmaker, photographer, producer
Edgar Blackmon
actor, writer
Jesse Cannady, secretary
Senior Director, Project Development, Thinkwell Group
Scott Goldstein
creative professional, consultant, investor
TJ Jagodowski
comedian, actor, improvisational performer
Michael Morden
Partner, Honigman LLP
Chris Redd
comedian, actor, writer, rapper, singer
Amber Ruffin
comedian, writer, actress
Our Work In The News
December 31, 2023
Forbes
by Jim Ryan
December 1, 2023
WGN-9 Spotlight Chicago
by Ji Suk Yi, Sarah Jindra
November 28, 2023
NBC-5 Chicago
by Kim Jao
December 20, 2022
Stereogum
by Chris Deville
August 16, 2021
TV Insider
by Meaghan Darwish
June 24, 2020
Chicago Tribune
by Nina Metz
August 20, 2019
ABC7 Chicago
by Nina Metz
December 18, 2018
Pitchfork
by Amy Phillips
November 24, 2015
Pitchfork
by Jeremy Gordon
December 8, 2014
The Columbia Chronicle
by Assistant Arts & Culture Editor
December 14, 2003
The New York Times
by David Bernstein