About Us

Why games?

In 2009, a group of friends in the Decatur, Illinois area found common interest in board games. A club called “Decatur Gamers” was formed to help bring game enthusiasts together – to not only play games, but to meet and socialize. By 2011, it occurred to the club leadership that they were surrounded by some of the most talented and creative people in the area. Now, to find an outlet to leverage that creativity and “do good”. Because the group was already filled with game enthusiasts, it seemed only natural that games be part of the equation.

Why troops?

Searching for the “right” groups to receive games was very difficult – there are a number of groups that would benefit from board and card games. One day, purely by chance, one of the group’s founders stumbled across this photograph:

Civil War Soldiers Playing Dominoes

Yorktown, Va., vicinity. Duc de Chartres, Comte de Paris, Prince de Joinville, and friends playing dominoes at a mess table.

The group began reading about the lives of Civil War soldiers, and how boredom played a large role in their daily lives. It was even discovered that famous game publisher Milton Bradley specifically marketed to Civil War soldiers – “We are dying with monotony and ennui.”

Research showed that playing games to reduce boredom was something that soldiers have done from the Roman era through modern times.

U.S. Army soldiers with the 293D Military Police Company, 97th Military Police Battalion, play board game 'Risk - The Game of Global Domination' as they relax at a local police station on the outskirts of the town of Kandahar, southern Afghanistan

U.S. Army soldiers with the 293D Military Police Company, 97th Military Police Battalion, play board game ‘Risk – The Game of Global Domination’ as they relax at a local police station on the outskirts of the town of Kandahar, southern Afghanistan

It was decided that the group would organize to help alleviate the boredom of the men and women serving in the US Armed Forces, and Games For Troops, Inc., was underway.

Our team

Everyone involved with Games For Troops is an unpaid volunteer. We recruit people who are genuinely interested in the project, and who are willing to give their time and talent without compensation. This allows us to use our funds more efficiently and wisely.

Targeted Giving Form

An * indicates a required field.

Requester's Information

This is YOUR (the person requesting the game) information. We need this information as we will contact you prior to shipping out a game to confirm all recipient information.

Your First Name*

Your Last Name*

Your Address*

Street

City

State , ZIP

Your Email Address*

Your Telephone Number*

Recipient's Information

This is the recipient (person who is getting the game) information. We need this so we can accurately send out the game. This information may be the same as the Requester's.

Please note - in order to ensure that our service is being used by active duty military personnel, we must verify record of military service. We do this by checking for APO/FPO address. If the Recipient does not have an APO/FPO address, we check for a valid military email address (eg, .mil). If that doesn't exist, we will contact the Recipient and ask for additional verification (eg, scan or photo of a military ID, service record, etc., or an email from their .mil email address).

In what branch does the Recipient serve?

Recipient's First Name*

Recipient's Last Name*

Recipient's Address*

Street (or Service Center/Identifier)

City (or APO/FPO/DPO)

State (or AE, AP, AA) , ZIP

This is VERY IMPORTANT. The address MUST be in correct APO/FPO/DPO format as outlined by the USPS. It will look something like this:

PFC JOHN DOE

123RD ENG 2ND PLT - B CO

APO AE 09398-9998

Recipient Email Address*

Game Information

Please tell us a little about what kinds of games your RECIPIENT likes. You may not know exactly, but help us narrow it down, so we can give them a game they'll enjoy! (Please note: Game categories came from http://boardgamegeek.com/, so it may be useful to look at that site to see what games fall in which category).

Classic (Monopoly, Sorry, Clue, Chess)Abstract (Go, Blokus)Customizable (Android: Netrunner, X-Wing Miniatures)Family (7 Wonders, Pandemic)Party (Dixit, Wits & Wagers)Strategy (Agricola, Eclipse)Thematic (Descent, Runewars)Wargames (Twilight Struggle, Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage)

Specific Games WANTED

If you know of a game or games that your recipient would WANT, please list the game's name(s) here.

Specific Games NOT WANTED

If there are games that your recipient does NOT want (or if they already own a game, and do not want another copy), please list those game names here.

How did you hear about Games For Troops?*

By clicking the Submit button, I confirm that the information I have entered is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that Games For Troops, Inc. (a non-profit corporation) will make every effort to deliver a game of my choice to my recipient as quickly as possible. I understand that neither Games For Troops, Inc., nor its partners, sponsors, donors, or subsidiaries are responsible for lost, stolen, or misdirected mail. Games for Troops, Inc. will never share your information with a third party.

Please enter the following code into the box below: