Meeples For The Mountains
For many people, tabletop games are a way to relax with friends. But for Hannah Bink, they became a lifeline during an extreme weather crisis.
"When Hurricane Helene hit, we lost all ability to contact each other for days," she explains. "However, friends and neighbors kept showing up at my house knowing that I had a grill and dozens of boardgames. We played games for days on end, just spending time together and making the best of a terrible situation."
Hannah knew she wasn't alone. Families across her home region of Western North Carolina could also find solace in tabletop games, but many had lost everything. That's why Hannah founded Meeples for the Mountains, a boardgame drive that aims to give families some much needed joy.
"The basics are absolutely necessary (and still in high demand) – but so is mental reprieve," she says. "Boardgames are the best gift you can give to families that have lost everything and just need a little bit of levity in the midst of devastation." In addition to fun, tabletop games can help give people space to relax and recuperate from stress, both of which are essential for healing and mental health. And boardgames can also be played without electricity – a vital asset for areas still grappling with infrastructure challenges.
Meeples for the Mountains is working with Well Played Board Game Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina, to collect and store donated games. North Carolina residents can drop off games at one of several collection sites, while those outside the state can purchase games from an official Amazon Wishlist or their FLGS, then send them to the Well Played Board Game Cafe. (Amazon Wishlist purchases are automatically delivered to the correct address.) Games should be new and unwrapped, and should be designed for 4+ players. Donations must be received no later than December 14.
"The charities we are working with already have distribution processes in place for families within the impacted area," says Hannah. "We'll deliver the games to charities, like BeLoved Asheville and Centro Unido Latino Americano, help them sort and wrap them, and hand them out directly to impacted families just before Christmas.
"There are hundreds of people doing amazing work to provide shelter, food, and clothing to those in need. Meeples for the Mountains is focused on providing an escape to families struggling to get through the day and wants to make sure everyone has a gift to open during the holidays."
Donations to Meeples for the Mountains can be sent to: Meeples for the Mountains c/o Well Played Board Game Cafe, 162 Coxe Ave, #101, Asheville, NC 28801. Boardgame retailers that would like to collect games for this initiative can visit meeplesforthemountains.com/get-involved to learn more.
-- Katie Duffy