PLAY
🎲 Recommended Games
Games that bring
people together.
Purchase any game below from your favorite local game store or online and donate it to Board Game Buddies. Every game goes directly into our programming at hospitals, veterans groups, recovery programs, and youth organizations across Chicagoland.
📦 How to Get Your Game to Us
🎲 Have games at home you'd like to donate? We gratefully accept gently used games from personal collections — even if they're not on this list. As long as they're complete and in playable condition, we'll put them to good use. Contact us before sending so we can coordinate.
Donate Board Games — Anywhere in the U.S.
Have games at home you'd like to donate?
Board Game Buddies accepts used board game donations from individuals anywhere in the U.S. If your collection is outgrowing your shelves, we'll put those games to work — bringing connection and community to people in recovery programs, veterans groups, hospitals, and youth organizations across Cook County.
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What We Accept
Gently used games in complete, playable condition — even if they're not on our list below. Any genre, any complexity.
📍
Drop Off or Ship
Mail to 8744 W Bruce Dr, Niles, IL 60714, or contact us to arrange a local drop-off.
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Contact Us First
Reach out before sending so we can coordinate. Email info@boardgamebuddies.org or call (847) 751-0165.
Easy & Gateway Games
Works in any setting — hospitals, youth programs, community events
UNO
The classic card game everyone already knows. Perfect icebreaker for any setting.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Hilarious reflex card game. Zero skill needed — always gets the whole room laughing.
Sleeping Queens
Fun and whimsical card game. Great for kids and adults alike.
Jenga
No reading required, works with limited mobility. A universal crowd-pleaser.
Connect 4
The perfect 2-player bedside game. Simple, fast, and familiar.
Guess Who?
Classic deduction game great for one-on-one sessions with kids or seniors.
Hedbanz
Hilarious guessing game — easy to teach and great for groups.
King of Tokyo
Dice-rolling monster fun. Easy to learn, exciting, works with any group.
Classic Card Games 6-Pack
Go Fish, Crazy 8s, Old Maid and more — familiar games with zero barrier to entry.
Ocean Bingo
Beautifully illustrated bingo with an ocean theme. Great for all ages.
Battleship with Planes
Classic strategy with a twist. Perfect for veterans and one-on-one sessions.
Qwixx Mixx
Roll-and-write dice game. Everyone plays simultaneously — no downtime.
Just One
Cooperative party game — give one-word clues to help your team guess. Easy, social, and always a hit.
Green Team Wins
Fast-paced party game about thinking alike. Light, silly, and great for breaking the ice.
Fun Facts
Learn surprising facts about each other in this lighthearted party game. Builds connection fast.
Things in Rings
Small-box party game with big laughs — sort silly things into rings by your own logic.
Chicken!
Fast-paced dice game that's easy to teach and full of laughs for any group.
Medium Games
Adult events, veterans groups & recovery programs
Sheriff of Nottingham
Bluffing and negotiation — incredibly social, perfect for veterans and recovery groups.
Stone Age
Worker placement with an accessible theme — great gateway into strategy games for adults.
Citadels
Plays up to 8 — ideal for larger adult events. Easy to teach, strategic enough to keep veterans engaged.
Coup
Fast bluffing game. Punchy and competitive — always a hit with veterans groups.
Harmonies
Beautiful and calming tile-placement game. Low stress, great for care facilities.
Parks: Base Camp
Gorgeous national parks theme. Relaxing strategy that works across all settings.
Sea Salt and Paper
Elegant card game with beautiful ocean art. Fast and satisfying for adult groups.
Scout
Clever hand-management card game. Small box, big fun — great for travel to program sites.
Kids & Youth Games
Ages 4–12 — hospitals, youth programs, family visits
My Lil' Everdell
Kid-friendly worker placement with adorable woodland art. Ages 6+.
Risk Jr.
Simplified Risk — introduces strategy concepts in a fun, accessible way. Ages 5+.
Cascadia Junior
Based on the award-winning Cascadia. Simple nature theme, easy to learn. Ages 6+.
My First Carcassonne
The classic tile game adapted for young players. Ages 4+.
Catan Junior
Introduces Catan's core ideas in a pirate-themed, kid-friendly format. Ages 6+.
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
Train adventure scaled for young explorers. Perfect stepping stone to the full game. Ages 6+.
A note from our team: Board games are a community hobby, and local game stores are at the heart of that community. Whenever possible, we encourage donors to shop local — your purchase supports a small business and our mission at the same time.
Want to donate online?
Shop our curated Amazon wish list and send a game directly to Board Game Buddies — fast, easy, and ships straight to us.
📦 Shop Our Wish List →Common Questions
Donating Board Games — FAQ
Where can I donate used board games near Chicago?▼
Board Game Buddies accepts used board game donations from anywhere in the U.S. Games can be mailed to 8744 W Bruce Dr, Niles, IL 60714, dropped off locally by arrangement, or purchased new from the list above. Contact us at info@boardgamebuddies.org or (847) 751-0165 to coordinate. Every donated game goes directly into our programming at recovery programs, veterans groups, hospitals, and youth organizations across Cook County.
Does Board Game Buddies accept used board games?▼
Yes — we gratefully accept gently used board games in complete, playable condition. They don't need to be on our recommended list. Please reach out before sending so we can coordinate. We're based in Niles, IL and serve communities throughout the Chicago suburbs.
What happens to donated board games?▼
Every donated game goes into our circulating library, which our trained volunteers bring to partner organizations — recovery programs, veterans groups, hospitals, and youth organizations across Chicagoland. Your donation directly supports meaningful connection for people facing some of life's toughest moments.
Is my board game donation tax-deductible?▼
Yes. Board Game Buddies is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 39-3629161). In-kind donations of games are tax-deductible at fair market value. We recommend valuing gently used games at approximately 50% of retail price. Contact us if you need documentation for your records.
How do I buy a new game to donate?▼
Browse the curated list above and purchase from your favorite local game store, or shop our Amazon wish list — purchases ship directly to us. Supporting a local game store and a nonprofit at the same time is a win-win.