Child's Play

The gaming community has now donated a staggering $3.7 million in 2012, blowing past the total for 2011 with just under two weeks left in our fundraising season and keeping up the incredible tradition of surpassing the previous year’s fundraising goal. Gifts from Amazon.com wishlists are arriving at our network hospitals every day and their impact is profound. Diane, Child Life Specialist, shared a bit about how Child’s Play helps Victoria General Hospital.

We received your gifts today and are very grateful for the ongoing and generous donations from the supporters of Child’s Play. The donations received from your charity have made a significant difference to what we can provide to our young patients.  In the past year, Child’s Play donations have provided personal DVD players for each in-patient bed as well as for the surgical unit and the Emergency Department. As you can imagine, the DVD players have been very popular and are in constant use. Other items purchased include: toys and books for our out-patient Diabetes Clinic that serves up to 200 children and youth;  an extensive variety of toys and craft activities for our in-patient wards; toys for our out-patient day surgery unit; and small items for the treasure boxes in the pediatric areas. Please share with your donors and let them know how much their support means to us.
We feel incredibly fortunate to receive donations from Child’s Play. They truly have made a huge difference to the comfort and distractions we can provide in our daily work with hospitalized children and youth.
Sincerely,
Diane Edwards
Child Life Specialist
Victoria General Hospital

Thank you all for your incredible support in another record-breaking year. We are honored, humbled, and excited to see what the next two weeks bring. Thank you!

There are many ways that people support Child’s Play. Sometimes it’s donating through Paypal or sending a check in the mail. There are our Amazon.com wishlists, where people can send gifts to their local children’s hospital. People run events to raise awareness and funds. People share our mission in their schools, workplaces, and communities. Gamers buy Humble Bundles to keep and to give, and give donations in honor of friends and family as holiday gifts.

Each and every gesture of support makes a huge impact. Each and every year since Child’s Play was founded in 2003 the gaming community has exceeded expectations and blown past both fundraising goals and previous year totals. Yet again, we approach that threshold - as of today, the gaming community has raised over $3.3 million in 2012. It is such an incredible, monumental effort and one that couldn’t happen with our donors, event organizers, sponsors, and supporters around the world. With a few weeks left to go, we couldn’t be more excited to see where the community takes us!

We’ve tallied the numbers, checked and double checked and have very exciting news - not only has the goal been passed, it’s been absolutely blown away. The gaming community has now raised $2.9 million for our network of hospitals in 2012!

The 2012 Child’s Play Dinner Auction was held on Thursday and everyone showed up looking fantastic and ready to bid. And bid they did - by the end of the night, $270,000 was raised to contribute to that incredible annual total. Generous studios, artists, and individuals contributed a collection of unique experiences and items that couldn’t be found anywhere else. Thank you to the auction item donors, the wonderful bidders, our hosts Mike and Jerry, the Enforcers - it wouldn’t have been possible without you.

We frequently hear from parents, families, and doctors about the impact that these donations make. Karen M. wrote us last year just after receiving a shipment of gifts:

“I am the manager of the child life department at Dayton Children’s and I want to thank Child’s Play charity for the generous donation that we just received.  Yesterday, I was called to come to our central distribution area because I had received a ‘donation of toys’.  Imagine my surprise when I realized our donation was Xbox video game systems, DVD’s, iPod touches and iPads for our patients to use.
We treat a variety of patients ranging in age from birth through 21 years and we strive to make the hospital experience as positive as possible.  Children and teens are connected to the electronic world through the internet or video gaming.  When I tell them that we have video games for patients to play you can visibly see them relax.  Parents are relieved to know that we can provide something familiar and comforting for their child during a stressful time in their lives.
Thank you, Child’s Play and all of the gamers that support your organization.  You truly are making a difference in the lives of hospitalized children.  Keep up the good work!”

Karen M.
Child Life Manager
The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton