Child's Play

[MooseMan3000]

I'm sure many of you already know this, but the folks over at Penny Arcade have just opened up Child's Play 2005. Go and check it out. They've really made it a lot more ambitous this year, expanding to fifteen children's hospitals across the US and Canada, and even one in the UK.


For those of you who don't know what this is all about (Shame on you, why aren't you reading Penny Arcade?), here's a little excerpt from the website.

Here’s the deal.

For two years now we’ve set up and organized a charity called Child’s Play. We set it up because we were angry the media decided to blame all the world’s problems on games and gamers. Basically they said that gamers were bad people, and we thought that wasn’t right. Apparently, you guys agreed: through Child’s Play you sent nearly a million dollars in toys, games, and cash to the sick kids in Children’s Hospitals around the nation.

That was awesome. You guys have proven over and over again that you are an overwhelming force, and you really came through and made a real difference to the millions of kids that Children’s Hospitals care for each year. So we’re doing it again this year, only this time we’ve expanded Child’s Play to more hospitals around the U.S. and even some across the globe so you can send toys to a hospital a little closer to home.

Child’s Play works the same as last year. With the help of hospital staff we’ve set up Amazon Wish Lists full of video games, toys, and movies. You can go to each hospital’s list and buy a toy, and that toy will be sent to the hospital. Some of these kids are in pretty bad shapeÑimagine being stuck alone in a hospital over the holidays--so getting something from a fellow gamer would really raise their spirits. Some of the stuff the hospital will give away for kids to keep, while other gifts (like consoles) will be kept by the hospital for patients to use throughout the year.
Penny Arcade has a readership of something like four and a half million gamers across the world. We are arguably the largest community of gamers on the internet. The important word there being community. We are not a faceless corporation and you are not just a number tracked by a database and then relayed to hungry advertisers. You guys have proven yourselves to be a powerful force when stirred into action. Here is your opportunity to use that power to do some real good.

I know it seems a little early for the holidays (I'm sort of sickened by the Christmas displays that are already up in stores), but now is the best time to donate. Choose a hospital near you and buy something for them. Do it now, before you realize you've spent too much money on gifts to donate anything else. It doesn't have to be a PS2. Children in hospitals need things as simple as books. Look at the wishlist, find something you can afford and buy it.

All of you who are pissed off at Jack Thompson and Hillary Clinton, get up and do something about it. This is a really easy way to make some positive progress. You don't even have to get off your ass. Just click a few buttons and you're done.

[Coppertop]

This year I may be too poor to donate. If not, some kid will be getting a copy of Zelda for the GBA.

[Ace_O_Spades]

I thought it was against forum policy to solicit donations for charity?

Childs Play is a worthy cause, I donated last year

[FngKestrel]

Done. Knowing that kids will have the rest of their lives to be innundated with digital media, I opted to get them a bunch of books...and season 1 of Fraggle Rock.

[MooseMan3000]

Originally Posted by Ace_O_Spades

I thought it was against forum policy to solicit donations for charity?

I wasn't sure, so I checked the rulebook, and there's no mention of it. I couldn't find any mention of charity in any rules, so I went ahead and posted it. If I was wrong, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.


Something else I forgot to mention: the Child's Play folks are always looking to add new hospitals to the list, so they'd be happy to hear from anyone who wants to be involved. If your local children's hospital isn't on the list, contact the hospital administration and let them know about the charity. They might not even know it exists. I'm waiting for a response from the hospital in my city.