Case Study: Creating Meaning & Impact through Play
Crisis Text Line asked us to design an exciting game experience, including a charitable component, for their 200-person team who was meeting in person for the very first time at their 2025 offsite! The result will make you wish you were there...
Crisis Text Line is a nonprofit organization that provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention. Without any exaggeration, they are real-life superheroes!
For their first-ever 200-person gathering, coordinated by TeamOut, they were looking for a bespoke offsite activity that was meaningful, memorable, and mission-aligned, that would fit seamlessly into their offsite.
How We Turned Crisis Text Line's First-Ever Offsite into a Mission-Driven Adventure
With dozens of logistical considerations and a big vision, the team at Crisis Text Line needed an event that would:
- Be logistically smooth and accessible for a large, diverse team
- Encourage interaction and creativity without physical strain or awkward lulls
- Reflect their core values: connection, mental well-being, and community care
- Make their first in-person gathering unforgettable
Additionally, many team members were meeting face-to-face for the first time. It was important to design something that made everyone feel comfortable, included, and inspired.
Our Creative, Mission-Aligned Solution
We created a custom Hunt experience designed specifically for Crisis Text Line. It combined our signature puzzle competition format with a heartfelt philanthropic video twist.
At the heart of the game was our Stuffy Story Challenge: Each team received a stuffed animal bear and was tasked with creating a short, imaginative film starring their “stuffy.”
Teams added accessories to their bears, dressed in costumes, crafted props, and filmed original backstories for their fluffy character.
Thoughtfully Designed for Greater Impact
The experience was more than just fun and games. It was designed to foster connection, creativity, and community. The event featured:
- Collaborative puzzles and riddles that encouraged problem-solving and teamwork
- Creative video storytelling that allowed players' imaginations and personalities to shine
- A hands-on mission component that elevated the impact beyond the room
This playful, purpose-driven format connected teams and prepared their creations for something even greater.
[Insert video here]
Making a Difference Beyond the Game
After the event, every stuffed animal and video was donated to Shriners Children’s Hospital Chicago. The kids received a new friend and a fun video that put a smile on their faces.
This activity allowed participants to contribute directly to Shriners' welcome program, which gives each child admitted to the hospital a stuffed animal for their stay.
Shriners told us that players' efforts directly supported:
- Easing the stress of a child's hospital entry
- Reducing fear and boredom a child may experience while receiving care
- Being able to give a stuffed animal to children who come in for surgery and leave the same day
- Improving the medical outcomes the hospital can achieve
What began as a lighthearted team-building challenge became a powerful act of kindness and a meaningful extension of Crisis Text Line’s mission.
The result: joy, purpose, and a team that left more connected to each other and to the work they do every day.
Tangible Results from a Large-Scale Team Event
This partnership showed what’s possible when you bring intention and imagination to large-scale gatherings. Purposeful play has the power to transform how teams connect and how organizations give back.
- 200+ team members engaged in an inclusive, high-impact event
- Custom puzzles and storytelling prompts tailored to the team’s values and energy
- Stuffed animals and video stories donated to children receiving hospital care, which makes a direct positive impact on medical outcomes
- A video recap by Wilk Media captured the spirit and impact of the experience
- The event was widely praised as one of the most memorable moments of the offsite
A Few Words from Crisis Text Line
“The Handstand team was fantastic at getting to know our team and our retreat needs, and designing an experience for us that was fun, memorable, and deeply connected to our mission. Would love to work with them again!” - Christopher Pearsall, Chief of Staff at Crisis Text Line
Are You Next?
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Book us for your next mission-driven offsite, or high-impact company event. Let’s talk!
