I've recently told you guys about my play ONLINE FIGHTING getting its world premiere next year, so the next step I've suggested with the Tennessee Stage Company is to find a video game-related charity to involve with the play. I've spoken with their Board of Development, and it's been suggested I review game-based charities with my gaming friends...
...hey guys!
Which game-based charities are you fans of? It's important the charity involves the gaming community in some capacity. The four I've looked at so far are:
Child's Play STAR GameSchool DonateGames Vinny's Kids
Also, has anybody ever worked with a charity before? Because I haven't and could use any advice in that regard. I just want to do some good with such a personal and important event!
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Ayuyu makes a good point that Child's Play is the most well-known of the charities and that game-based charities are not well-known, so here's some more info on the aforementioned:
GameSchool - http://www.stargameschool.org Give them to a good cause and help children learn something from the games you grew up with. STAR, Inc.’s GameSchool department which uses preexisting games as a medium to develop academic and social skills in children invites gamers to recycle their old games by donating them to charity. Any donated game, game system or accessory would be used to teach children through fun, interactive and innovative classes in a positive environment. GameSchool currently offers classes teaching elementary school aged children to play games together both competitively and cooperatively, much like a sporting team. In the future and with gamers’ help we would like to be able to not only offer more classes to but to also provide children with a lending library of games. Donations may also be sold with the proceeds being used to help fund our program. STAR, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, and donations made to it are tax-deductible.
DonateGames - http://www.donategames.org DonateGames is now accepting donations of all electronic games, gear, and gadgets – whether they work or not! Our charity will take your unwanted electronics off your hands, resell them, and direct 100% of proceeds to children’s rare disease research and treatment; and because DonateGames is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, your donation is tax-deductible!
Vinny’s Kids - http://www.vinnykids.org/ Vinny's Kids, Inc. accepts new and gently used items as listed below, monetary donations, honorary and memorial contributions, and the valuable time of its volunteers! Vinny's Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity so all contributions are tax deductible and donations are properly recognized.
Child's Play - http://www.childsplaycharity.org Child’s Play works in two ways. With the help of hospital staff, we set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, books, and other fun stuff for kids. By clicking on a hospital location on our map, you can view that hospital’s wish list and send a gift.
Child’s Play also receives cash donations throughout the year. With those cash donations, we purchase new consoles, peripherals, games, and more for hospitals and therapy facilities. These donations allow for children to enjoy age-appropriate entertainment, interact with their peers, friends, and family, and can provide vital distraction from an otherwise generally unpleasant experience.
While Child's Play is both the biggest and the first/only one I thought of when proposing the idea, they only work with events that will give them 100% of the proceeds...which theatres can rarely afford. The idea we've talked about has been to give discounted tickets for people who bring in items to donate, which makes the other three charities a lot more appealing...particularly DonateGames since we wouldn't have to worry about whether or not the donations work. STAR GameSchool is the most unique idea, however, since young designer-hopefuls will learn from their donations.
I don't know if there are other charities worth mentioning or not, but those are the ones Child's Play recommends if we're collecting items to donate. Still, the theatre's open for other creative ways to work a charity in too!
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http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/3492/eponaharr.jpg Nominate SuperNiceDog's Guru-choice, then Epona.
I understand STAR GameSchool is teaching whatever games you donate teach; they seem to work off the software you give instead of creating their own or restricting themselves to the Oregon Trail (or the modern equivalents of it).
Vinny's Kids definitely lacks information, yes. I may contact them for more info, but right now it doesn't look like it does anything the others don't already.
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http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/3492/eponaharr.jpg Nominate SuperNiceDog's Guru-choice, then Epona.
If Child's Play honestly expects 100% of your earnings, and you can't manage that, why are they even an option?
We may be able to come to some sort of solution with them, even if it is only for opening night or something else temporary; we might be able to specifically focus our efforts with them for only opening night or something, since this play will receive a three-weekend run. We could also maybe work something out with them about merchandising since they encourage more creative solutions to fundraising, even if their policy's 100%. I just don't want to immediately rule them out since they were immediately who I thought of when this discussion first began and their fundraising guide didn't mention anything about theatre, but the needs of the company may overrule that.
Should Child's Play not be an acceptable option, it seems pretty clear that DonateGames runs away with this.
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http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/3492/eponaharr.jpg Nominate SuperNiceDog's Guru-choice, then Epona.