Gamers Outreach Foundation

Last updated
Gamers Outreach Foundation
Founded2007
FounderZach Wigal
Type 501(c)(3)
Location
Area served
Global
Website gamersoutreach.org

Gamers Outreach Foundation (stylized as Gamers Outreach) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides entertainment to hospitalized families through video games. The organization was started in 2007 in response to a canceled Halo tournament. Present-day, Gamers Outreach oversees devices and services to help hospitals manage video game content. The organization works to help families cope with treatment inside hospitals while reinforcing healthcare staff. According to its website, Gamers Outreach programs enable as many as 3 million gaming experiences [1] each year for patients across hundreds of healthcare facilities.

Contents

History

In March 2007, more than three hundred individuals had registered to participate in a Halo 2 tournament organized by Saline High School student Zach Wigal. [2]

Still determined to host a tournament, Wigal [3] and his friends began organizing a new event to illustrate the positive impact gamers can make when they come together to play video games. In 2008, Wigal tapped local LAN Party runners MPCon [4] [ better source needed ] to assist in the collaboration and launch of Gamers for Giving, [5] a competitive gaming tournament and LAN party that provided gamers with an opportunity to participate in gaming activities, while simultaneously raising money for charity.

In the process of planning the new tournament, Gamers Outreach Foundation [6] was established. While the original purpose of the organization was to facilitate Gamers for Giving, the newly founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit began taking on a life of its own.

As interest in Gamers for Giving grew, so did the scope of Gamers Outreach's mission. In 2009, Gamers Outreach began working with C.S. Mott Children's Hospital of Ann Arbor, Michigan, to provide video games to hospitalized children. [7]

Mission statement

The mission statement of Gamers Outreach Foundation is as follows:

Gamers Outreach is a for-purpose organization helping to restore a sense of joy and normalcy in the lives of hospitalized children. We believe the world is better when kids can play, and gamers have the power to help.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child's Play (charity)</span>

Child's Play is a charitable organization that donates toys and games to children's hospitals worldwide. It was founded in 2003 by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, authors of the popular video games-related webcomic Penny Arcade. The charity is seen as a way to refute mainstream media's perception of gamers as violent and antisocial. As of 2022, Child's Play had processed over $55,147,529.24 in donations since its inception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity</span> Polish charity organisation

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is the biggest, non-governmental, non-profit, charity organization in Poland raising money for pediatric and elderly care. The GOCC Foundation holds American Heart Association certification to provide courses in CPR and AED, and for the use of high technology for medical lifesaving. The GOCC aims to support health care in Poland by purchase of state of the art medical equipment for Polish hospitals and clinics and by establishing and running six medical programmes and one educational programme. The foundation supports pediatric and geriatric wards, furnishing them in both complex medical devices such as MRI scanners, and providing long-term care units with anti-bedsore mattresses and beds.

The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on child advocacy and research. It was founded in 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hole in the Wall Gang Camp</span> American non-profit summer camp

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, based in Ashford, Connecticut, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, residential summer camp, and year-round center serving children and their families coping with chronic illnesses such as cancer, sickle cell disease and many others.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in the United States that helps fulfill the wishes of children with a critical illness between the ages of 2+12 and 18 years old. Make-A-Wish was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Phoenix. The organization operates through its 59 chapters located throughout the United States. Make-A-Wish also operates in nearly 50 other countries around the world through 39 international affiliates.

Roger Chapin is an American businessman turned fundraiser living in San Diego, who calls himself a "nonprofit entrepreneur", according to Forbes magazine. He has launched more than 20 charities, and until 2009 was the president of Help Hospitalized Veterans, an American charity, whose stated purpose is, "Making time live for America's hospitalized veterans." The New York Times has labelled two of the organizations he founded, Help Hospitalized Veterans and Coalition to Salute America's Heroes as being " among a dozen military-related charities given a grade of F in a study last December by the American Institute of Philanthropy, a nonprofit watchdog group. These and other charities have collected hundreds of millions of dollars from kind-hearted Americans and squandered an unconscionable amount of it on overhead and expenses — 70 percent or 80 percent, or more."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's Miracle Network Hospitals</span> Nonprofit organization based in Salt Lake City

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. Donations support the health of more than 10 million children each year.

Kosair for Kids is a nonprofit organization based in Louisville, Kentucky. Founded in 1923, the organization helps children with medical conditions in Kentucky and southern Indiana. It ran the Kosair Cripple Children Hospital until 1982 and subsequently partnered with Norton Healthcare to run Kosair Children’s Hospital until 2016. The group partners with over 100 pediatric organizations in the area to provide assistance to youth in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Form 990</span> United States Internal Revenue Service form

Form 990 is a United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) form that provides the public with information about a nonprofit organization. It is also used by government agencies to prevent organizations from abusing their tax-exempt status. Some nonprofits, such as hospitals and other healthcare organizations, have more comprehensive reporting requirements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fistula Foundation</span> American maternal health organization

Fistula Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on treatment of obstetric fistula, funding more repair surgeries than any other organization, public or private. As of September 2022, they support hospitals and doctors in over 20 countries across Africa and Asia. The foundation is dedicated to treating obstetric fistula by covering the full cost of fistula repair surgery for poor women who would otherwise not be able to access treatment. They also provide fistula surgeon training, equipment and facility upgrades that make fistula treatment as safe as possible, post-surgery counseling and support for healed patients. The foundation has been recognized by several organizations for its transparency, effectiveness and efficiency, earning a top "A" rating from CharityWatch and a four star rating from Charity Navigator for 16 years in a row, placing it in the top 1% of charities reviewed on the site. In 2023, the foundation received a $15 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, announced alongside a new five-year strategic plan that will advance the foundation's In It to End It vision. The foundation has also been selected as one of 22 charities recommended by Princeton Professor Peter Singer's organization, The Life You Can Save. The organization's cost-effectiveness was also noted by GiveWell in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haitian Health Foundation</span>

The Haitian Health Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides relief services to residents of rural southwest Haiti. It has four major areas of focus: health care, development, relief, and education. The official website is: www.HaitianHealthFoundation.org

The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, also known simply as the Jay Fund, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1996 and "helps families tackle childhood cancer by providing comprehensive financial, emotional and practical support", according to the foundation's mission statement. Charity Navigator currently rates The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation as a 4-star organization, its highest rating.

Get-Well Gamers is a charitable organization that aims to bring video game consoles and games to sick children in hospitals. The charity was founded in 2001 by Ryan Sharpe, who was hospitalized as a child and found that playing Donkey Kong Jr. and Zaxxon had been beneficial to his recovery. In 2005, the charity was officially recognized in the United States as 501(c)(3) charitable organization. By October 2006, the organization had expanded to cover over 40 hospitals in more than 20 states. The charity accepts donations of video game systems and games from 1989 and later from both individuals and companies. Since its founding, the group has received support from various other gaming-related organizations such as the International Game Developers Association and Nvidia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starlight Children's Foundation</span> American nonprofit organization

Starlight Children's Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1982. Starlight's programs include providing hospital wear, games, and deliveries to hospitalized children. The programs are provided directly to children through Starlight's network of more than 700 children's hospitals and other community health partners throughout the world. Starlight's US operations are based in Los Angeles, California. Starlight also operates in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and possibly other countries, though their websites are unclear about their global operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children of the Caribbean Foundation</span> 501 nonprofit organisation

Children of the Caribbean Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Beverly Hills, California. The organization provides relief and assistance to disadvantaged children across the Caribbean and in Los Angeles in three areas: education, healthcare and social development. Children of the Caribbean Foundation is governed by a board of trustees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Monday Life</span> Childrens charity in the United States

The Monday Life is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit organization that works toward the welfare of hospitalized children by improving their patient environments. The organization has a crowd-sourced fundraising platform, in which donors can give $1 every Monday.

UMPS CARE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed in 2006 by Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires to provide comfort, encouragement, and support to seriously ill children in hospitals and their families. Umpire crews visit hospitals and distribute gifts to children during the baseball season as well as the off-season, The charity's motto is "Helping People is an Easy Call". As of 2017, the umpires have visited 131 hospitals for UMPS CARE events. The effort originated with umpires Marvin Hudson and Mike DiMuro, who began the "Blue For Kids" hospital visitation program in 2004.

The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and subset of the National Kidney Foundation, a major voluntary health organization in the United States. Since 1955, the NKFM has carried out a mission to prevent kidney disease and improve the quality of life for those living with it. The nonprofit is based in Ann Arbor and has three additional statewide branches in Flint, Grand Rapids and Detroit. The charity has received 11 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, the nation's leading charity evaluator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charitable activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic</span>

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the international and domestic economies. Thus, many organizations, private individuals, religious institutions and governments have created different charitable drives, concerts and other events to lessen the economic impact felt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Call of Duty Endowment</span> Military veterans support organization

The Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation co-created by Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard, and General James L. Jones, Jr., a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general, to help U.S., and later, U.K. military veterans find high-quality careers. The Endowment funds non-profit organizations that help former service members transition to high quality civilian careers after their military service and raises awareness of the value veterans bring to the workplace. The name of the Endowment is a reference to the video game series Call of Duty.

References

  1. "Gamers Outreach | Helping others level up. Video game charity for kids". Gamers Outreach Foundation. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  2. "Founding Story: The History of Gamers Outreach". Gamers Outreach Foundation. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  3. "Zach Wigal". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  4. Reilly, Kristy. "MPCON XX - Gamers for Giving 2008 - Part 1 of 2" . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. "Gamers For Giving Charity Gaming Event | March 28th & 29th, 2020" . Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  6. "Gamers Outreach Foundation | Helping others level up" . Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  7. Torgan, Allie (2019-03-08). "Seriously ill kids couldn't play video games. So he's bringing the games to them". CNN. Retrieved 2022-02-21.