🃏 Trading Cards For Kids

Chicagoland · Nonprofit in formation

A little card can mean a lot to a kid having a hard day.

We collect Pokémon and other trading cards and put them straight into the hands of children in hospitals, shelters, and foster & adoption care across the Chicago area — turning a tough day into a chance to trade, collect, and just be a kid.

Donate cards See how it works

Got a stack of doubles gathering dust? That's exactly what a kid is hoping for.

Why we exist

For a child in a hospital bed or a new foster placement, a pack of cards is more than a toy. It's a conversation starter, a reason to smile, and a way to connect with other kids when everything else feels uncertain.

Trading Cards For Kids gathers new and gently-used cards from collectors, game shops, and families — then delivers ready-to-play kits to partner hospitals and care organizations throughout Chicagoland.

How it works

Three ways to help a kid collect

🎴

Donate cards

Send in new or gently-used trading cards — commons, doubles, and extras all welcome. We sort them into kid-friendly kits.

🎁

Sponsor a kit

Fund a ready-to-play starter kit — a sleeved deck, dice, and counters — delivered to one child. Your name (or anonymous) gets a thank-you with every kit.

🤝

Volunteer

Help sort cards, build kits, or host a trading event at a partner location. Great for students, clubs, and game shops in the Chicago area.

The impact

Cards become courage

Hospitals and care teams tell us the same thing: a deck of cards gives kids a small sense of control and a reason to connect. We make sure no donated card goes to waste — every one ends up with a child who wants it.

“The original Pokémon charity, Pokelanthropy, mailed millions of cards to kids before it had to close. Chicagoland kids still deserve that joy — so we're picking the torch back up locally.”

Why donate

Good for kids. Good at tax time.

Potentially tax-deductible

Once our 501(c)(3) status is finalized, monetary and in-kind card donations may be tax-deductible, and we'll provide written receipts for gifts over $250.

New 2026 deduction

Starting 2026, even donors who take the standard deduction can write off up to $1,000 in charitable gifts ($2,000 married filing jointly).

Clear out, do good

Those bulk commons and duplicate cards collecting dust? They're a treasure to a kid. Donate them instead of letting them sit in a drawer.

Local & transparent

We're Chicagoland-based and community-run. Cards stay local and go directly to kids — never resold for profit.

Trading Cards For Kids is currently organizing as a nonprofit. We are not yet a registered 501(c)(3); tax-deductibility statements apply only once IRS determination is granted. This page is informational and not tax advice.

Get involved

Ready to make a kid's day?

Donating cards, sponsoring a kit, volunteering, or partnering as a hospital or game shop — reach out and we'll get you set up.

Email us to get started

or write to hello@tradingcardsforkids.org