Illinois

Let’s Play For a Generation of Impact
2020-10-07 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
How can play help kids develop, practice social and emotional skills, and get physically active in virtual or hybrid environments or in-person experiences that are COVID-19 safe?
Find out by joining Playworks and other supporters nationwide and Let’s Play!
During this unique virtual event, you will experience how play feels right now. Teachers, coaches, and kids will share their stories of the back to school journey and how play and Playworks have eased the transition. Playworks President Elizabeth Cushing will highlight the current state of the organization and our school communities, and Playworks Founder Jill Vialet will highlight her predictions for the future of play.
For almost 25 years, Playworks has leveraged the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. While historically our services have mostly been in person, we’ve transformed the Playworks experience to ensure that we can support kids and school staff in their current environment-whatever that is- and ensure they get to benefit from playing every day. We need support to be here for generations to come.
Let’s Play together to recognize this impact on the past generation and raise critical funds to support the next. Thanks to the generous support of Swapnil Agarwal for every $1 donated, Playworks will receive an additional $2, up to $100,000. If you can’t attend but still want to make a difference please donate now.
Register Now
If you can’t attend on this day, you’re in luck! We’ll be hosting a second event on Thursday, October 8.
Register for that event here.

Playmakers Happy Hour
2020-01-22 17:30 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | District Brew Yards, 417 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622, United States
Join us at District Brew Yards on Wednesday, January 22 for a Playmakers Happy Hour.
As part of their “Cents for Causes” initiative, the Brew Yards will donate 10 cents per ounce of beer to Playworks Illinois.
Spread the word, invite your friends, and cheers to helping bring safe and healthy play to every kid in Illinois!

Talks at Google: Real Players Don't Bully
2019-12-04 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Google HQ, 320 N Morgan Street, Chicago, IL, 60607, United States
With bullying a continuing national concern, Playworks’ Real Players Don’t Bully campaign is partnering with Google’s Be Internet Awesome program to call attention to the need to empower the next generation to be kind on and offline, leading this charge from elementary school playgrounds.
Join us for a panel discussion about anti-bullying and youth empowerment, led by our 4th and 5th grade Junior Coaches. The panel will be moderated by Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia.
To RSVP, please complete the Registration Form.

Grant Park Turkey Trot 2019
2019-11-30 07:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Grant Park, Chicago, IL
The Grant Park Turkey Trot has come together with Thanksgiving runs from around the nation to form a multi-city running festival called the American Turkey Tradition. This year, the proceeds from this 5k/10k walk/run will be going to Playworks Illinois!
Register now or email Annie Share (annie.share@playworks.org) if you are interested in volunteering.

Get in the Game 2019
2019-10-04 18:00 - 22:00 (America/Chicago) | Chicago Sports Museum, 835 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611
Save the date for our 6th annual Get in the Game event on Friday, October 4, 2019 at Chicago Sports Museum from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. This fun evening will include dinner, cocktails, a silent auction with a wine pull and of course play!
The Get in the Game event is a perfect representation of Playworks: incomparably fun and seriously impactful. It’s a celebratory party which will be attended by 250+ guests, including key community, business, and education leaders combines fun, food and drink with an irreverent awards presentation and real play—with a mission.
Purchase tickets now
For questions about sponsorship or donations, contact Colleen Harvey, at colleen.harvey@playworks.org.

Playworks Illinois 8th Annual Kickball Tournament
2019-06-22 10:30 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Lawrence Athletic Fields, Chicago, Illinois
Lace up your sneakers and join us for some nostalgia over green grass and a big red bouncy ball. It’s time for our 8th Annual Kickball Tournament!
The Playworks Illinois Kickball Tournament offers local businesses and individuals the opportunity to give back to their community while enjoying a few hours of play.
The Corporate Kickball event will be held on Saturday, June 22, 2019, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lawrence Athletic Fields. The day will include complimentary jerseys for all participants, lunch, kickball, and opportunities for networking and friendly competition with other area businesses all while serving the kids of Chicago. The winning team will receive plenty of high fives and the coveted Golden Kickball trophy.
Our hope is that each participant walks off the field feeling like a rockstar, having played a fun game of kickball while making a valuable contribution to an organization working to reduce bullying and improve the health and well-being of children in Chicago’s under-resourced neighborhoods. All event proceeds support Playworks Illinois, which provides increased opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play to more than 30,000 students at more than 30 elementary schools and youth organizations.
Interested in sponsoring this year’s tournament? Head on over to our donor page to enter your team.
Register

Past team participants include: Schiff Hardin, LLP (past winner!), Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP, Salesforce.com (past winner!), Loyola University, Konica Minolta, IMC Financial, Red Eye, The Private Bank, LinkedIn, Equity International, Upshot Agency, Centro Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Wilson, McKinsey & Company, Namaste Charter School (past winner sponsored by OnShore Security), and National Teacher’s Academy (sponsored by SHI Corporation).

Questions? Contact Caira Lee Conner, Engagement Specialist, at caira.conner@playworks.org

Get in the Game 2018
2018-10-19 18:00 - 22:00 (America/Chicago) | Chicago Sports Museum, 835 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611
Save the date for our 5th annual Get in the Game event on Friday, October 19, 2018 at Chicago Sports Museum from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. This fun evening will include dinner, cocktails, a silent auction with a wine pull and of course play!
The Get in the Game event is a perfect representation of Playworks: incomparably fun and seriously impactful. It’s a celebratory party which will be attended by 250+ guests, including key community, business, and education leaders combines fun, food and drink with an irreverent awards presentation and real play—with a mission.
Purchase tickets now!
For questions about sponsorship or donations, contact Caira Lee Conner, Program Associate, at caira.conner@playworks.org.

Join our 2018 BOA Chicago Marathon team!
2018-10-07 | Grant Park, Chicago, IL
Playworks is thrilled to be an official charity of the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Over the past four years, our runners have generously raised funds to support Illinois students’ engagement in safe, rewarding play and physical activity throughout the school day.
We believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. In supporting Team Playworks, you will help us continue our mission to improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for healthy, safe, and inclusive play.
Join Team Playworks for the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
By joining Team Playworks, you are helping us change school climates and build tomorrow’s citizens by leveraging the power of safe, fun, and healthy play at school every day.
As a member of the team, you will have the opportunity to:

Adopt and run for one of our 12 Chicago-area elementary schools*
Network with team participants
Fundraise throughout the campaign
Join a special team dinner and site visit at one of our partner schools
Receive limited-edition Playworks gear and additional incentives
Cross the finish line with more than 9,000 Playworks students cheering you on

As a member of the team you are expected to:

Make a fundraising commitment of $1,000 or more
Be at least 18 years old on race day
Finish the race in less than six hours
Be an ambassador of play

If you have any questions, please contact Caira Lee Conner, program associate, at caira.conner@playworks.org.

If you are unable to run, you can still support the team and our work in low-income schools in the Chicago area. Please visit our fundraising page to donate.
*Bank of America Chicago Marathon charity runners must pay their own registration fees.
Donate

Playworks Illinois 7th Annual Kickball Tournament
2018-06-16 10:30 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Lawrence Athletic Fields, Chicago, Illinois
Lace up your sneakers and join us for some nostalgia over green grass and a big red bouncy ball for our 7th annual kickball tournament. The Playworks Illinois Corporate Kickball Tournament offers local businesses and individuals the opportunity to give back to their community while enjoying a few hours of play.
The Corporate Kickball event will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2018 from 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Lawrence Athletic Fields. The day will include complimentary jerseys for all participants, lunch, kickball and opportunities for networking and friendly competition with other area businesses all while serving the kids of Chicago. The winning team will receive plenty of high fives and the coveted Golden Kickball trophy.
Our hope is that each participant walks off the field feeling like a rock star, having played a fun game of kickball while making a valuable contribution to an organization working to reducing bullying and improving the health and well-being of children in Chicago’s low-income neighborhoods every day. All event proceeds support Playworks Illinois, which provides increased opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play to more than 30,000 students at over 30 elementary schools and youth organizations.
If you are interested in sponsoring this year’s tournament by entering your team, head on over to our donor page here.

Past team participants include: Schiff Hardin, LLP (past winner!), Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP, Salesforce.com (past winner!), Loyola University, Konica Minolta, IMC Financial, Red Eye, The Private Bank, LinkedIn, Equity International, Upshot Agency, Centro Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Wilson, McKinsey & Company, Namaste Charter School (past winner sponsored by OnShore Security), and National Teacher’s Academy (sponsored by SHI Corporation).

Questions? Contact Lee Ann Eiland, Development Manager, at leeann.eiland@playworks.org

Playworks Meet and Greet in Evanston!
2017-11-01 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Creative Co-Working, 922 Davis St., Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come enjoy drinks and snacks and learn more about Playworks Illinois! There will be a short program at 6:30 that includes an overview of services on which Playworks and District 65 can partner. And of course, we’ll save a few minutes for play!
Did you know:
96% of school staff agree that Playworks Illinois creates a safe and effective learning environment
96% of school staff report an increase in the number of students engaged in healthy play at recess
On average, teachers recover 25 hours per year transitioning students from recess to learning.
Co-hosted by Playworks Illinois and Creative Coworking.
Click here to RSVP

Join our 2017 BOA Chicago Marathon team!
2017-10-08 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Playworks is thrilled to be an official charity of the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Over the past four years, our runners have generously raised funds to support Illinois students’ engagement in safe, rewarding play and physical activity throughout the school day.
We believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid, and in supporting Team Playworks, you will help us continue our mission to improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for healthy, safe, and inclusive play.
Join TEAM PLAYWORKS for the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
By joining Team Playworks, you are helping us change school climates and build tomorrow’s citizens by leveraging the power of safe, fun, and healthy play at school every day.
As a member of the team you will have the opportunity to:

Adopt and run for one of our 13 Chicago-area elementary schools*
Participate in a Nike-sponsored training program
Network with team participants
Fundraise throughout the campaign
Join a special team dinner and site visit at one of our partner schools
Receive limited-edition Playworks gear and additional incentives
Cross the finish line with more than 9,000 Playworks students cheering you on

As a member of the team you are expected to:

Make a fundraising commitment of $1,000 or more
Be at least 18-years-old on race day
Finish the race in less than six hours
Be an ambassador of play

If you have any questions, please contact Lee Ann Eiland, development manager, at leeann.eiland@playworks.org. To join Team Playworks, fill out this brief form and we will be in touch to get you in the game.

If you are unable to run, you can still support the team and our work in low-income schools in the Chicago area. Please visit our fundraising page to donate.
*Bank of America Chicago Marathon charity runners must pay their own registration fees.

Get in the Game 2017
2017-09-28 13:15 (America/Chicago)
Join us for our Get in the Game event on Thursday, September 28, 2017 at Ovation Chicago from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. This camp-themed evening will include dinner, cocktails, a silent auction with a wine pull and of course play!

The Get in the Game event is a perfect representation of Playworks: incomparably fun and seriously impactful. It’s a celebratory party which will be attended by 250+ guests, including key community, business, and education leaders combines fun, food and drink with an irreverent awards presentation and real play—with a mission.

Thank you to our sponsors!

2017 Corporate Kickball Tournament
2017-06-03 14:45 (America/Chicago) | Lawrence Athletic Fields, Chicago, Illinois
Lace up your sneakers and join us for some nostalgia over green grass and a big red bouncy ball for our 6th annual kickball tournament. Playworks Illinois Corporate Kickball Event offers local businesses and individuals the opportunity to give back to their community while enjoying a few hours of play.
The Corporate Kickball event will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2017 from 10:30am – 4:00pm at Lawrence Athletic Fields. The day will include complimentary jerseys for all participants, lunch, kickball and opportunities for networking (or friendly trash-talking) with other area businesses all while serving the kids of Chicago. The winning team will receive plenty of high fives and the coveted Golden Kickball trophy.
Our hope is that each participant walks off the field feeling like a rock star, having played a fun game of kickball while making a valuable contribution to an organization that is working to reducing bullying and improving the health and well-being of children in Chicago’s low-income neighborhoods every day. All event proceeds support Playworks Illinois, which provides increased opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play to more than 30,000 students at over 30 elementary schools and youth based organizations.
Past team participants include: Schiff Hardin, LLP (past winner!), Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP, Salesforce.com (past winner!), Loyola University, Konica Minolta, IMC Financial, Red Eye, The Private Bank, LinkedIn, Equity International, Upshot Agency, Centro Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Wilson, McKinsey & Company, Namaste Charter School (past winner sponsored by OnShore Security), and National Teacher’s Academy (sponsored by SHI Corporation).
For more information, contact Lee Ann Eiland, Development Manager, at leeann.eiland@playworks.org

Kickball King: $15,000 (Only 1 Available)

Exclusive logo on Playworks website and all kickball materials, including tournament T-shirts.

Two teams of 10-15 players each, team players receive a catered lunch, drinks, a team T-shirt.

A free “Corporate Engagement” for your employees.

Presenting sponsor recognition on the Playworks website & newsletters and prominent recognition of your company’s logo the sponsor banner.

Grand Slam Guru: $10,000

Company logo on kickball promotional and marketing materials, including your team’s T-shirts.

A team of 10-15 players, team players receive a catered lunch, drinks, a team T-shirt.

Sponsor recognition on the Playworks website, newsletters, and additional promotional materials and preferred recognition of your company’s logo the sponsor banner.

Home Run Hero: $5,000

A team of 10-15 players, team players receives a catered lunch, drinks, and a team T-shirt.

Sponsor recognition on the Playworks website, newsletters, and additional promotional materials and placement of your company’s logo on the sponsor banner.

Red Rubber Baller: $2,500

A team of 10-15 players, team players receive a catered lunch, drinks, a team T-shirt.

Your company’s logo on the sponsor banner.

Individual Team Membership: $100
Don’t have a team but still want to join in on the fun? Join the event as an individual team member. Individuals will be placed on a team created by Playworks Illinois.

Team players receive a catered lunch, drinks, a team t-shirt and the warm and fuzzy feeling of giving back to your community.

Get in the Game: Camp Playworks
2016-10-20 14:45 (America/Chicago)
On Thursday, October 20, 2016 Playworks Illinois will host our annual fundraising event, Get in the Game: Camp Playworks. This evening, filled with food, libations, games, and a silent auction, will be held at Ovation in Chicago!
Get in the Game: Camp Playworks is a perfect representation of Playworks—incomparably fun and seriously impactful. It’s a celebratory party which will be attended by 250+ guests, including key community, business, and education leaders and combines fun, food, and drink with an irreverent awards presentation and real play—with a mission.
Playworks Illinois, serves more than 9,000 students daily in Chicago and impacts more than 32,000 students throughout the state of Illinois. We are making extraordinary, researched-backed improvements to the culture and climate of our schools. By increasing students’ engagement in safe, healthy play and physical activity throughout the school day, Playworks is decreasing bullying, teaching collaborative skills, keeping kids active, and reclaiming hours of classroom time for learning.
Help us celebrate this fun evening and register for your ticket today!
This event is now over.
Our Sponsors

Playworks Illinois' Junior Coach Leadership Conference at Roosevelt University
2016-04-13 09:00 (America/Chicago)
On April 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Roosevelt University, Playworks Illinois will be hosting our annual Junior Coach Leadership Conference. The theme for this year’s conference is “Unleashing your Superpowers.” Bringing together Junior Coaches from across the Chicago metro area, this event includes workshops to further leadership development, share best practices, and introduce students to college opportunity.
Junior Coach Leadership Program
The Junior Coach Leadership Program focuses on increasing self-confidence, leadership, and conflict resolution skills in 4th and 5th graders. These upper class students, known as “Junior Coaches”, serve as peer leaders for their classmates and the younger children. Junior Coaches support full-time Playworks coaches to reach every kid at every recess every school day. Junior Coaches teach games to their classmates and to younger students and just as important, they model positive language, positive culture, and conflict resolution techniques for the other kids.

To volunteer at this conference and/or inquire about other volunteer opportunities contact our Program Associate, Jinny Han, at jinny.han@playworks.org. We hope you can join in on the fun!

Get in the Game
2015-09-24 17:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us for Playworks Illinois' Get in the Game: Carnival and enjoy a playful cocktail event while helping make a difference in low-income communities and schools across the city.
Get in the Game: Carnival will be attended by more than 250 guests including key community, business, and education leaders. This event combines fun, food, and drink with a raffle, silent auction, and real play—with a mission. It is both a celebration of the game-changing power of play and a fundraiser that enables Playworks to serve our city’s highest-need schools and communities.
Get in the Game: Carnival rolls into Chicago’s Salvage One (1840 W Hubbard St) on September 24, 2015 from 6pm to 10pm. Tickets are $125 per person and $1,000 for ten.

For more information, contact fconti@playworks.org.

Sponsored by:

2015 Corporate Kickball Tournament
2015-06-06 10:30 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
A day that was full of fun, teamwork, food, and healthy competition.
We would like to send a high-five to our Grand Slam Guru sponsor and this year’s champion Schiff Hardin, LLP. Congratulations!

Thank you to our Home Run Hero sponsor Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, our Red Rubber Baller sponsors Equity Financial Group, Wilson, Chicago Tribune Media, and The PrivateBank, and also Centro, Upshot, and Namaste Charter School for participating.

Check Out the Photo Album!

For more information and pricing, please contact Lee Ann Eiland, Development Manager at 312.324.0279 or leeann.eiland@playworks.org.

Run 26.2 with Team Playworks!
2014-10-12 14:30 (America/Chicago)
We are proud to announce that Playworks Illinois will be representing Playworks as an affiliate charity partner in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 12, 2014. This marks the third year that Playworks will participate in this worldwide event. Registration is a lottery this year for the first time ever, but you can secure your spot by becoming a charity runner.
We currently have four out of our original twelve bibs for Team Playworks. Each runner has a minimum fundraising goal of $1,000. If you would like to run for Team Playworks, complete this application and we will get back to you!
For more information about running the Chicago Marathon for Team Playworks, please email Kim Lombardi, Development Associate, at klombardi@playworks.org or call (312) 324-0280.
If you are unable to run, you can still support the team and our work in low-income Chicago schools. Please visit our fundraising page to donate.

2014 Playworks Illinois Corporate Kickball Tournament
2014-06-06 15:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
Friday, June 6, 2014 | 3:30 – 7:00pm | Lincoln Park's Waveland Fields, along the lakefront
Lace up your sneakers and come indulge with us in an afternoon of nostalgia over green grass, a wide open field, and a big, blue, bouncy ball. Our 3rd Annual Playworks Illinois Corporate Kickball Tournament offers local businesses the chance to give back to their community while enjoying a few hours of play and bonding with co-workers. (12-15 employees per team).
Our hope is that each participant walks off the field feeling like a rock star, having played a fun game of kickball while making a valuable contribution to an organization that is working to improve the health and well-being of children in Chicago’s low-income neighborhoods every day. The winning team will receive the coveted Golden Kickball trophy to display in your office, bragging rights, and plenty of high fives.
Playworks has a proven and scalable model aimed at increasing physical activity in low-income schools. All event proceeds support Playworks Illinois, which provides increased opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play to over 11,000 students at 18 under-resourced schools.
Past team participants include: Schiff Hardin, LLP, Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP, Salesforce.com (winners of the 2013 Golden Kickball!), Loyola University, Konica Minolta, IMC Financial
For more information, contact Kim Lombardi, Development Associate, at: klombardi@playworks.org

Kickball King: $15,000 (Only 1 Available)

Exclusive logo on Playworks website and all kickball materials, including tournament T-shirts
Two teams of 10-15 players. Each team receives a catered lunch, drinks, a team T-shirt
Receive a free “Corporate Engagement” for your employees
Presenting sponsor recognition on the Playworks website, newsletters, and additional promotional materials
Your company’s logo on the top of the sponsor banner

Grand Slam Guru: $10,000

Company logo on kickball promotional and marketing materials, including team T-shirts
Two teams of 10-15 players. Each team receives a catered lunch, drinks, a team T-shirt
Sponsor recognition on the Playworks website, newsletters, and additional promotional materials
Your company’s logo on the sponsor banner

Home Run Hero: $5,000

Team of 10-15 players. Each team receives a catered lunch, drinks, and a team T-shirt
Sponsor recognition on the Playworks website, newsletters, and additional promotional materials
Your company’s logo on the sponsor banner

Red Rubber Baller: $2,500

Team of 10-15 players. Each team receives a catered lunch, drinks, and a team T-shirt
Your company’s logo displayed on the sponsor banner

Kickball Captain: $2,000 (Non-participatory sponsorship)

Sponsor a Community Team of teachers, school staff and non-profit employees!
