programs. The Chicago show, at the Park West theatre, featured Death Cab for Cutie front man Ben Gibbard. Other performers on the tour included Sufjan Stevens, Jon Stewart, Davy Rothbart, and David Byrne. In September 2007, the Heinz Family Foundation awarded Eggers a $250,000 Heinz Award (given to recognize "extraordinary achievements by individuals") in the Arts and Humanities. In accordance with Eggers's wishes, the award money was given to 826 National and The Teacher Salary Project. In April 2010, under the umbrella of 826 National, Eggers launched ScholarMatch, a nonprofit organization that connects donors with students to make college more affordable. Controversy and activism Eggers book The Every was released in 2021 but he refused to sell it on Amazon, limiting the release to independent book stores only. In 2022, Eggers books were one of several titles banned in South Dakota schools because they had sexual content in them. Eggers went to South Dakota to speak to authorities and students and offered any students who wanted one of the banned books copies for free via his website. In December 2022, Eggers travelled on behalf of PEN America to Kyiv, Ukraine. He published "The Profound Defiance of Daily Life In Kyiv" in The New Yorker based on his time in the war-torn country. Musical contributions Eggers can be heard talking with Spike Jonze during "The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton", the final track on Beck's 2006 album The Information. The third section of the track features Eggers and Jonze responding to Beck's question, "What would the ultimate record that ever could possibly be made sound like?" Eggers contributed lyrics to the song, "The Ghost of Rita Gonzolo", on One Ring Zero's album As Smart as We Are (2004). Personal life Eggers was the primary guardian of his youngest brother Toph Eggers and later co-authored children's books together. Eggers lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is married to Vendela Vida, also a writer. The couple have two children. Vida and Eggers had met in 1998 in San Francisco at a wedding and started dating in 1999. He was one of three 2008 TED Prize recipients. His TED Prize wish was for helping community members to personally engage with local public schools. The same year, he was named one of "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing the World" by Utne Reader. Awards and honors 2000 Time Best Book of the Year, A Heartbreaking Work of