Local alliances across Texas will come together in January 2027 for one mission: fighting hunger in our own backyards.

 

What Is It?

Play It Forward brings people together in a fun way to help those facing hunger. Every dollar raised will go directly to a local food bank or another organization in your community that fights food insecurity. Whether it’s trivia, Mahjong, or another game, local alliances are encouraged to host a game event for this important cause. Members across Texas can join a local event and/or a statewide online event for the price of admission, with proceeds helping food banks serve families throughout our communities.

How It Works

  • Pick your game – trivia, Mahjong, bingo, bridge, or whatever game your group loves
  • Set your date – anytime during January
  • Choose your venue – a living room, community center, library, church hall, restaurant, or event space
  • Invite your alliance members (or make it a couples’ event)
  • Collect entry fees ($20 suggested per person)
  • Take photos of your game night fun to share with TMAA
  • Send proceeds to your local food bank or selected organization
  • Report your success to TMAA (how much you donated to what entity and what game you played), so we can share our statewide impact

Why Join?

  • It's flexible – you set the rules, the location, and the vibe
  • It's social – a great excuse to get people together in the new year
  • It's meaningful – 100% of proceeds fight food insecurity locally
  • It's easy to organize – no elaborate planning required

Why It Matters

More than 5 million Texans (one in six households) are food insecure, according to Feeding America, putting Texas among the five worst states for food insecurity. Texas’ rate of food insecurity is 17.6%, well above the national average of 13.3%.

See how your county rates: Hunger & Poverty in the United States | Map the Meal Gap  (2026 data coming in July)

Learn more: Hunger in Texas - Feeding Texas

Food Security in the U.S. - Interactive Charts and Highlights | Economic Research Service


The Big Picture

While each game night is local and self-organized, together they create a statewide impact. Every group that participates adds to a collective effort to help stock food banks at one of the most critical times of the year – right after the holidays.