From mics to missions

The Spiel Foundation was a direct result of community support for The Spiel podcast.

After receiving a signed copy of Risk Legacy from a listener, Team Spiel decided to host a charity fundraiser, their very first Spielathon. The event raised over $2,000. They used the money to officially start The Spiel Foundation and began sending out game bundles.

Conway said he saw a vacuum in organizations working to bring games to more people. “We can be the door to open the world of games for people,” Conway said.

“Fun that can be had in games can be enjoyed by anyone. And in many cases it is a lack of availability,” Conway said. “The Spiel Foundation’s goal is to support public and community organizations with game bundles and, in doing so, provide many people with more opportunities to play who might not have it otherwise.”

Each bundle contains at least five games (with all pieces prebagged and punched). Depending on the recipient, the bundle includes games geared towards either younger players, all ages, or strategy games.

The operations for The Spiel Foundation are currently based out of Conway’s garage, which he estimates can hold 10,000 games at a time, but in the very near future they will have their own facility in Indianapolis: The Dekoven Center for Play.

The Center for Play will be a hub for all The Spiel Foundation’s activities and programs. It will house a warehouse for the bundle program, a community play/event space with a massive game library, rooms for classes, seminars, and playtesting, plus a media studio. “We are so excited about The Center for Play,” Conway said. “Having a home will allow The Spiel Foundation to grow in countless ways. It will put us in a unique position to emphasize the positive power of play and effect change on both a local and global level.”