Founded in 2025, Charlotte Free Chess is a (501c3 pending) non-profit organization that is dedicated to bringing free chess to schools in the Charlotte Area. Founder Chris Callahan learned to play at the Irwin Avenue Elementary chess club in the 1988, and has been running chess clubs for more than 20 years, working for various organizations. As the name suggests, all chess clubs run by Charlotte Free Chess are permanently and unequivocally free of charge. We rely on donations and volunteers to provide all of the necessary money and labor.