What does afterschool care look like for a disadvantaged student? Let us tell you about D. 

Awake since 7am. Maybe had time for breakfast before mom left for one of her two jobs. Nine hours later, he's running on sugary yogurt and string cheese. Now, add a two-year gap in learning and socialization. He struggles with writing, emotional regulation and negative attention-seeking. All he wants to do is go home and play.

Instead, we bring the play to him. UnboxEd uses game based, interactive lessons to provide quality, free afterschool programming to low-income students. 

Think of game-based learning as the Flintstone Vitamins of education: kids can't even taste the learning. Through board games, Dungeons & Dragons, and creative activities, we bring History to life, add magic to STEMM, let kids inhabit their dream job in Entrepreneurship, and build Social-Emotional Learning through storytelling.

Take a peek at D's journey in his first semester:

Multiply that story by 40. Since our summer fundraiser, we have expanded our student capacity and class count by 300%, hired 2 new instructors, developed free Summer Programming for Summer '23 and have been invited to join the Andy Roddick Foundation's Learn All the Time initiative.

Yet there remain hundreds of under-served students across dozens of campuses in Austin in need of quality, free afterschool programming. Our mission is to inspire more independent learners, community builders, creators and entrepreneurs. All through play.

As students re-enter the classroom, they are in desperate need of not only academic tutoring, but social activities that build communication and community. Research shows that games increase neuroplasticity, literacy, critical thinking, and social-emotional skills.

Demand for our program is growing faster than expected, requiring more support to keep our prize boxes full, offer new educational games, stay afloat with our administrative, legal and insurance costs, and continue to hire and train instructors that have made a demonstrable impact already.

          $25 - Buys new prizes for the prize box. What kind of prizes you ask?         

                      "I want a Rubix cube -- and not one of those stupid little ones. A real one!" - C.

          $50 - Buys a new board game for our library. Popular reviews of our games include:

                      "Ugh this is hard."

                       "This is boring but I liked it."

           $100 - Sponsors a student for one month

           $250 - Buys a tablet for Living History and STEMM research --                               

                        AND A.I. software that can generate original images of our adventures!

           $500 - Sponsors a student for a whole semester

As a 501(c)3, all donations are tax-deductible (receipts are automatically sent). Use the Employer Gift Matching search box at checkout to initiate your company's Donation Matching program, if available. Since we are a new organization, you may need to register us using this information.

We thank you for any support you're able to offer, including Volunteering. If you aren't able to give at this time, please think of us next time, or simply share this page and our mission with anyone who might be interested. 

How Else Will Your Generosity Directly Support Our Students and Communities?

• Free summer programming to low-income communities in need of quality summer childcare
  
• Recruiting community leaders and small business owners to speak to classes  
• Dungeons & Dragons Destinations: hosting themed learning experiences in museums and creative centers
• GroBlox: revitalizing vacant lots within the community to increase safe outdoor spaces
• Training staff and volunteers
• Professional development training for teachers interested in game-based learning
• Publishing curriculum templates for parents and educators to run their own guided campaigns
• Insurance, marketing and legal fees
  
• Background checks for all volunteers