Board Game Buddies' Community Game Nights program brings structured, volunteer-led board game sessions directly to people who need connection most — individuals in substance use recovery, justice-involved adults in court-supervised mental health programs, veterans in transition, hospital patients, and youth facing adversity across the Chicagoland area.
WHAT YOUR DONATION FUNDS
Every contribution to this project directly supports:
• Board games and supplies for community game nights
• Sanitization materials for clinical and hospital settings
• Volunteer training materials and game instruction resources
• Transportation and logistics for volunteer teams
ACTIVE PROGRAMMING
Recovery Connection (Maine Township) — Monthly recurring game nights serving 30–50 participants per session. Our programming gives individuals in substance use recovery a structured social outlet and peer connection that supports long-term sobriety.
Cook County Mental Health Court — Board Game Buddies delivers court-approved sessions under judicial supervision, focused on team building and social skills as part of participants' court-ordered treatment plans. This institutional partnership validates our model at the highest level.
EXPANDING ACROSS CHICAGOLAND
We are actively building partnerships with hospitals, veterans organizations, and additional recovery and youth-serving agencies throughout Cook County and the greater Chicago area. Your support helps us say yes to every new community that needs us.
VOLUNTEER-POWERED, COMMUNITY-ROOTED
Our trained volunteers arrive with a library of 180+ carefully curated board games and spend several hours playing alongside participants — creating genuine human connection in settings where isolation is the norm. Every session is purposeful, structured, and built around the needs of the people in the room.
Learn more at boardgamebuddies.org or contact us at info@boardgamebuddies.org.
