Gamer Charity
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| For more information about Donate Games, and to donate or purchase video games from the organization, visit donategames.org. |
Now gamers can turn hobby into philanthropy through a new Orange County charity called Donate Games. The nonprofit organization, based in Dana Point, was launched less than a year ago, and has already seen tremendous success and support – even on an international level.
Donate Games was founded by a father on a mission. Jim Carol started the charity two years after his 11-year-old son, Taylor, was diagnosed with a very rare form of leukemia, called Philadelphia syndrome. Diseases like Taylor's, so rare that they affect less than .05% of the population, are called "orphan diseases," and are often overlooked. The family spent much of their time with Taylor in the hospital while he underwent chemotherapy and watched as the sick children all around them were able to enjoy themselves, even if just for a little while, when playing video games. Jim believed that video games played a large role in helping these young people get better.
He started Donate Games in February 2009 with a simple premise: Every time you donate to or buy a game from Donate Games, money is donated to support and fund research for orphan diseases like Taylor's. They were inspired by other charities like Child's Play, in addition to their own experiences with their son and the power of video games they witnessed in the recovery of Taylor and other sick children. Fortunately, they are able to donate all proceeds from every sale, since the organization is run by an entirely volunteer staff. In fact, they welcome additional help from community volunteers who are interested in contributing to the Donate Games cause in other ways. Simply contact the organization with an idea of how you would like to contribute, then work out the details with a staff member.
If you like what you hear so far and feel compelled to donate, then the process goes like this, ideally: Donate your used video game(s) and receive a tax-deductible receipt from your donation. Then buy a different donated game from the Web site's online store catalog to further the cause. Whether buying, donating or both, any contribution is greatly appreciated and directly supports orphan disease research, patient networks and educational tools. For those of you who wish to contribute but aren't video game connoisseurs, the charity accepts cash donations through a variety of means, as well.
