Child’s Play is a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and teens in children’s hospitals around the world. Child’s Play currently has a network of over 180 children’s hospitals worldwide as well as nearly 200 domestic violence shelters across the United States.
Child’s Play was born in 2003 after Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade, in response to how video games were portrayed negatively by the media, challenged their fans to help support Seattle Children’s Hospital. An Amazon Wishlist was set up and in less than one month, the charity raised over $250,000 in cash and toys for Seattle Children’s hospital.
Child’s Play supports our Network Hospitals in two ways. Our Amazon Wishlist program allows them to have a wishlist on Amazon where donors can purchase items and they be sent directly to the hospital. With the help of hospital staff, we set up wishlists by adding video games, toys, books, and other items needed by the Child Life department for their patients. By clicking on a hospital location on our map, you can view that hospital’s wish list and send a gift.
Child's Play supports the needs of our network hospitals by providing an annual monetary gift. This gift is designed to meet the unique needs of our children's hospitals helping them purchase games, toys, and technology that will enhance the patient experience.
We have a grant program that non-profit facilities can apply to as well. For more information about our programs, visit our About Us page.
Since every children’s hospital has different volunteer protocols, we recommend reaching out to your local children’s hospital for volunteer opportunities. If you live near Redmond, WA and would like to know about volunteer opportunities in our office, please contact us.
Gamers Give Back® is Child’s Play’s new year-long fundraising focus which fuels our mission to help children in hospitals around the world by getting them the tools they need to Play Games, Feel Better®! Gamers Give Back day is usually held in March. Keep an eye on our Twitter for information on how to sign up to be a Gamer who Gives Back!
Every December, Child's Play hosts a gala event for the geeky and nerdy community. People come from all over to attend this formal and fun celebration of their fandoms and raise money for a great cause. Tickets usually go on sale around September. To learn more about this event check out our video. If you are interested in donating an item to be auctioned at our event, please contact us.
There are many ways to donate, please visit our Get Involved for more details - to make an online gift visit our Donation page.
Child’s Play
9660 153rd Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98052
Absolutely! If you are donating an item via Amazon, each hospital’s charity tax ID number is included in the information section on its wish list. Use your confirmation email as a receipt. If you are making a cash donation, Child’s Play’s own tax ID number is 20-3584556. If you have any questions about how this works, please ask your tax adviser or visit the IRS website.
The short answer is no. Quoted from IRS.gov.
“If you receive a benefit because of your contribution such as merchandise, tickets to a ball game, or other goods and services, then you can deduct only the amount that exceeds the fair market value of the benefit received.”
Please visit the IRS website for more details. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/
If this is a digital transaction, you should have received an email receipt but if it needs to be reissued send us an email at [email protected]. If you mailed in your donation, send us a request for a receipt and we will email one ASAP.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept used items as donations. Hospitals don't accept them because of infection control precautions. eBay for Charities allows individuals to designate all or a portion of the sale of the item to their favorite charity. Learn more at https://www.ebayforcharity.org/
Child's Play is a member of the US Combined Federal Campaign. You can find more information on the CFC here https://cfcgiving.opm.gov/welcome. Our CFC Number is #54643.
We recommend downloading our Fundraising Guide for more information. If you decide to have a fundraising event make sure to add it to our calendar on our Event Page.
If you are making your donation by check, make sure to note which facility you wish the donation to benefit. If you are making an online donation, make a note to what facility you would like your funds to benefit. Also, you can send an email to [email protected] to let us know.
There are many ways you can contribute without having an event. When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to Child's Play if you make us your charity of choice. Once you sign up it does this automatically. Read more about Amazon Smile here.
We are also a Humble Bundle partner! Use this link to purchase games, ebooks, software, or other digital content and a portion of your purchase goes to us. To learn more visit the Humble Bundle website.
For other ways to help, make sure to check out our Fundraising Guide for ideas.
There are many ways your company can raise funds and awareness for Child’s Play Charity. Whether that is attending our annual dinner auction, an in-kind donation of goods, or a program more tailored that meets your business goals while raising funds to support our mission. We can create unique opportunities together. Please contact us for more information.
You can check our interactive map to see if your facility is part of our network or contact us.
For more information on how to become part of our network, please send us an email or visit our About Us page for links to our application.
The minimum size to become a network facility is 20 pediatric patient beds. If your facility is too small to become part of our network, there is always our Grant Program! For more information on our Grant Program send us an email or visit our About Page for more information.
Send us an email at [email protected] for help with setting up or updating your facility’s wish list.
Please send all online store/merch questions to [email protected]