INDIANAPOLIS (February 20, 2020) — Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop game convention in North America, has chosen Take This and Trinity Haven as its official charity partners for 2020. Since moving to Indianapolis in 2003, the annual convention has raised more than $335,000 for its charity partners.
“A big part of what makes Gen Con special is the strength and generosity of the tabletop gaming community,” said Megan Culver, Gen Con’s Senior Director of Sales & Marketing. “We are proud to partner with our attendees to support these two incredible organizations through our fundraising efforts at our convention this year.”
As part of this agreement, both organizations will receive proceeds from Gen Con’s 2020 fundraising efforts, including longstanding charity events such as an auction, a balloon sculpture, and the popular “Cardhalla,” a mass destruction of giant playing card structures.
“We are very honored to be one of the charity partners for Gen Con in 2020. We share a love of tabletop gaming, and a recognize the amazing benefits that these games bring to peoples’ lives,” said Eve Crevoshay, executive director of Take This. “Take This focuses on the mental health of the people who make and play games, and being part of a supportive community is a huge part of the benefit of games and gaming. Gen Con is a fantastic celebration of the tabletop gaming community. Our resources, services, and training help people in this community to stay healthy, and we thank everyone for their support.”
Gen Con held its 52nd annual convention in 2019, attracting nearly 70,000 attendees and over 520 exhibiting companies. The event’s diverse programming, including more than 20,000 individually ticketed games and events, encompasses the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, outdoor activations on Georgia St. and South St., and many surrounding downtown hotels.
“Trinity Haven is honored to be chosen as an official Charity Partner for the 2020 Convention,” said Jenni White, founding executive director of Trinity Haven. “As we have been working non-stop to open Indiana’s first and only housing program for LGBTQ+ youth at risk for homelessness, we are also creating a safe, welcoming and affirming home for them to feel like they can truly be themselves, fully supported by our staff and partners, as we work together to bring stability, wellness and understanding into their lives. Just as Gen Con believes that tabletop gaming is important, as it brings people together in an increasingly divided society, we are bringing together a diverse group of LGBTQ+ youth who have been displaced from their homes, just for being themselves. Our hope is that we can create a brave space for them to explore who they are in this world, as they learn to navigate life on life’s terms.”
Gen Con returns to Indianapolis July 30 – August 2, 2020. Badges and information are available at gencon.com
About Gen Con
Gen Con is the largest and longest-running annual event devoted to tabletop gaming culture in North America. The convention, which began in 1968 in Lake Geneva, WI, attracts 70,000 attendees and over 520 exhibiting companies each year. During the convention, attendees choose from more than 20,000 ticketed events representing a wide array of board games, card games, roleplaying games, seminars, entertainment events, and more. Gen Con takes place each August in the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, and surrounding downtown hotel spaces in Indianapolis, IN.
About Take This
Take This is the only organization providing mental health resources, guidelines, training, and support tailored to the unique needs of game developers and the game community while embracing the diverse cultures of the community. Take This’ mission is to decrease the stigma and increase support for mental health among game developers and enthusiasts. Take This runs the AFK Room Program at game conventions, provides mental health workshops for game companies and their human resource departments, partners with industry groups to support mental health, curates information on treatment options and how to find help, and runs the Take This Ambassador Program for streamers. For more information, please visit www.takethis.org/
About Trinity Haven
Trinity Haven will be Indiana’s first and only housing program for LGBTQ+ youth at risk for homelessness. Set to open in 2020, Trinity Haven will offer its residents long-term housing and services for up to two years. The programming focuses on preparing these youth for their eventual transition to independent living; it emphasizes education, job training, and life skills. Young people will work with case managers to create an individually tailored plan that leads toward independence, and they will pursue their educational goals while taking classes that teach cooking, cleaning, money management, interpersonal skills, and job attainment skills that are specific to LGBTQ youth, while also addressing their personal health and wellness needs. At the same time, the house activities are intentionally designed to create a homelike atmosphere of safety, affirmation, and acceptance. For more information, please visit www.trinityhavenindy.org
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