In 1973, Dan Bassill joined the Cabrini Green Tutoring Program as a volunteer—a decision that would shape the next five decades of his life. At the time, the program, launched by a group of Montgomery Ward employees, was a response to the need for reading and learning support for 2nd through 6th grade students living in areas of concentrated poverty, including the Cabrini Green development.
Dan quickly became a cornerstone of the program, championing its core value of volunteer-based, one-on-one tutoring. He believed deeply in the power of personal connection. Pairing a volunteer with a student not only fostered academic growth but also built trust, confidence, and a sense of being understood. “The kids were volunteers,” Dan often said, recognizing the mutual commitment from both tutors and students that made the program thrive.
In 1990, Dan became the first paid executive director of the organization, which had grown from 100 tutor-student pairs in 1975 to over 300. Under his leadership, the program continued to expand year after year, becoming a place of strong connections and learning opportunities for countless Chicago students and tutors.
Beyond the professional impact, tutoring shaped Dan’s personal life—introducing him to lifelong friends and even his wife. For Dan, this work was never just a job; it was a calling. “My life has been devoted to helping children in high-poverty areas,” he reflects.
Today, Dan takes pride in knowing that Tutoring Chicago continues to build brighter futures for children across the city. “The fact that the program continued to grow beyond me—and has continued to grow for over 60 years—is something I’m hugely proud of.”
Dan continues to share what he learned in leading the tutoring program at Montgomery Ward to help similar programs grow in all high poverty areas of Chicago and other cities. He is able to keep doing this work thanks to the support he receives from a few former volunteers and others he has met over the past 50 years. You can visit www.tutormentorexchange.net to see the resources he collects and shares.
