Team Building at Its Best: A Case Study on Mission-Driven Offsite Events
See how we transformed Crisis Text Line's first company offsite into a mission-driven team-building adventure with a custom Hunt event.
How We Turned Crisis Text Line's First-Ever Offsite into an Extra Meaningful Adventure
For Crisis Text Line's first-ever 200-person gathering, coordinated by TeamOut, we augmented our puzzle competition with a gamified video challenge. Participants produced creative videos, attaching their heartfelt films to stuffed animals that were then donated to kids at Shriners Children's Hospital Chicago.
Designing With Purpose: Key Goals Behind the Event
Crisis Text Line was looking for a custom offsite activity that was meaningful, memorable, and mission-aligned, that would fit seamlessly into their offsite.
With dozens of logistical considerations and a big vision, their team 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, most folks were meeting face-to-face for the first time. It was important to create an engaging event that made everyone feel comfortable, included, and inspired.
Our Creative, Mission-Aligned Solution
We built a custom team-building scavenger hunt experience, blending our signature puzzle competition and philanthropy to drive deeper engagement at Crisis Text Line's corporate retreat.
At the heart of the game was our Stuffy Video Challenge: Each team received a stuffed animal bear and was challenged to create 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.
Teams film their videos as part of the charitable component of their offsite game.
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.
We give each child admitted to the hospital a stuffed animal and a homemade blanket for their stay, so we thank you for thinking of our kids.
We rely on our donors to help us reduce the fear and boredom that a child may experience while receiving care. We also celebrate birthdays and even offer to a child who may come in for a surgery and be able to leave the same day. These acts of kindness improve the medical outcomes that we are able to achieve.
– Mary M., Donation Coordinator at Shriners Children's Hospital Chicago
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 employee engagement and philanthropic team events.
At Crisis Text Line's offsite event, we:
- Engaged 200+ employees in an inclusive, high-impact event
- Tailored custom puzzles and storytelling prompts to reflect the non-profit's values and energy
- Donated 30+ stuffed animals and video stories to children receiving care, improving their hospital stay and medical outcomes
- Captured the spirit and impact on video thanks to Wilk Media
- Were praised as one of the most memorable moments of the offsite
Curious about the stuffy videos? Watch some of the top-voted videos here!
A Few Words from Crisis Text Line
At Handstand, we aim to delight players and wow our clients so they walk away with lasting memories. Here's what Christopher Pearsall, Chief of Staff at Crisis Text Line, had to say about the event:
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?
We bring meaning and excitement to large team offsites.
We can bring the same to yours. Book us for your next mission-driven offsite or high-impact company event.
Get a quote today or schedule a call with us. Let's chat!