For any of our supporters who cover gaming news: we’ve just pushed out the official Gamers for Giving 2018 press release!

Taking place on April 28th and 29th, we’ll be chasing down a $350,000 fundraising goal in support of providing entertainment devices to hospitalized children. Incredibly, that amount could double with help from our friends at PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.

If you’d like to cover this year’s Gamers for Giving, you can direct inquiries to our general email address – contact@gamersoutreach.org.

We hope to have you with us on April 28th & 29th!

Gamers Outreach Foundation’s 10th Annual Gamers for Giving Fundraiser Sets Sights on Raising $700,000 for Hospitalized Children

Community donations and sponsor matches will help bring video games and recreation to hundreds of thousands of kids undergoing hospital treatment

MICHIGAN – April 10, 2018 – Gamers Outreach Foundation, (Gamers Outreach) a 501(c)(3) organization, today announced its 10th annual Gamers for Giving fundraiser event. Taking place at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center on April 28th and 29th, Gamers for Giving will bring together hundreds of video gamers, streamers and esports pros for a LAN party to help raise funds that provide hospitalized children with in-hospital recreation through video games. This milestone event is sure to be the organization’s biggest success, with a goal of raising $350,000 that could double to $700,000 thanks to a sponsor-matching commitment from PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.

Through the fundraising achieved at Gamers for Giving, the organization constructs portable, medical-grade video game kiosks called “GO Karts” (Gamers Outreach Karts) that provide equipment, technology and software to help hospitalized kids cope with long-term treatment. Through these GO Karts, children can play video games, watch movies, or socialize with friends and family who are outside the hospital. GO Karts currently support children in more than 40 hospitals throughout the country, with expectation to be in nearly 200 hospitals by mid-2018.

“I’m proud we’ve created an event that empowers the gaming community to make a positive difference,” states Zach Wigal, Gamers Outreach founder. “We anticipate as many as 800,000 hospitalized patients benefiting from initiatives like Project GO Kart annually across the country. Ten years ago it all started as a bunch of high school kids who just wanted to play Halo. What a wild ride.”

Gamers for Giving will stream live at Twitch.tv/GamersOutreach and feature tournaments for PUBG, Overwatch, League of Legends, CS:GO, Hearthstone, Rocket League, Starcraft II, Halo 5, Call of Duty WWII, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Notable video game community members in attendance will be live streamers GoldGlove, MsVixen, VernNotice; and esports personalities Walshy, SirScoots, and Goldenboy. For a full list of streamers in attendance, please visit this webpage: gamersforgiving.kinsta.cloud/streamschedule.

Anyone can participate in Gamers for Giving by making donations through the stream or hosting their own fundraising campaign through the Gamers Outreach fundraising portal: fundraise.gamersoutreach.org.

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About Gamers Outreach

Gamers Outreach is a 501(c)(3) charity organization that provides recreation to children in hospitals through the power of video games and the gaming community. Hospitalization can often be a lonely, isolating, and scary experience for young people. Gamers Outreach eases those burdens by providing equipment, technology, and software that help kids cope with long-term treatment. More information can be found at www.GamersOutreach.org

About Gamers for Giving

Gamers for Giving is a weekend-long competitive gaming tournament, LAN party, & streamathon that raises money in support of Gamers Outreach programs. Ticket sales and donations help provide entertainment devices to hospitalized children. More information can be found atwww.GamersforGiving.org

As gamers, we’re well aware high quality audio hardware makes all the difference during competitive play. What you might not be aware of is how much of today’s modern audio technology is powered by DTS.

Since 1993, DTS has been dedicated to making the world sound better. Perhaps analogous to “Intel Inside,” DTS technology is a driving force behind many of today’s leading surround sound devices. Their audio solutions are integrated in more than two billion devices globally, including mobile, home theater systems, cinema, and beyond.

DTS will be joining us for their first ever Gamers for Giving event, and they’re bringing along a ton of goodies for attendees and online donors. DTS partners include many of your favorite brands such as SteelSeries and Logitech – so you can definitely expect some epic giveaways during this year’s event!

As an added bonus: DTS will be providing a pancake breakfast to all ticketed LAN attendees on Sunday morning from 9 AM – 11 AM! If you’re driving down from Canada, please do us all a favor and bring along some of that delicious maple syrup. We’ve also added a pancake emoji to our Discord channel (:DTSpancake:) to help spread DTS pancake hype.

Be sure to give DTS some love on Twitter and Facebook, and check out their latest technologies at https://dts.com/.

We’ll see you on April 28th and 29th at the EMU Convocation Center! And don’t forget, if you can’t join in person, we’ll be streaming live all weekend on Twitch.tv/GamersOutreach!

Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to have met a number of generous people in gaming. One such group at the top of our list is the crew from Lightstream.

If you’re not already familiar, the people at Lightstream are a collection of industry veterans who’ve been making content creation easier and more accessible than ever before. Their broadcast studio is an intuitive platform that empowers gamers to quickly stream their own gameplay through websites like YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook.

Lightstream has been a longtime supporter of Gamers for Giving and has made a tremendous difference helping us expand the impact of our programs. Last year, Lightstream helped pioneer the deployment of our newly launched GO Karts within Seattle Children’s Hospital – committing more than $12,000 towards a fundraising campaign by Aaron Greenberg.

Their enthusiasm for our cause has been inspiring, and words can’t adequately express how thankful we are to have their support!

Lightstream is joining us once again at this year’s Gamers for Giving! If you’re curious to learn more about their platform, or want to get started as a streamer, feel free to say hello to their friendly staff! They’ll be located at the front of this year’s streamer corral.

Be sure to give them a shout on Twitter and Facebook!

We’ll see you on April 28th and 29th at the EMU Convocation Center!

Gamers Outreach and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Team Up in Support of Hospitalized Children
PUBG Corp to match community donations during 10^th annual Gamers for Giving fundraiser.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – April 2, 2018 – Gamers Outreach Foundation (Gamers Outreach), a 501(c)(3) organization, today announced a partnership with PUBG Corp. the creators of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) in support of Gamers Outreach’s mission to help hospitalized children through the power of interactive play. PUBG Corp. has committed to donating up to $350,000 as part of this collaborative effort with Gamers Outreach, with a potential to raise up to $700,000.00 USD through donation matching in support of Gamers Outreach’s two primary initiatives: Project GO Kart and Player 2.

The two organizations are working together in support of Gamers Outreach’s 10^th annual Gamers for Giving fundraiser, a LAN party and streaming marathon. Ticket sales and donations will grow the impact of the non-profit’s Project GO Kart and Player 2 programs, which help ensure video games and recreation are accessible and manageable to kids undergoing treatment within hospitals.

“We’re beyond grateful to work with PUBG Corp” said Zach Wigal, founder of Gamers Outreach. “Their team has made a tremendous difference in our quest to equip hospitals with games and entertainment for patients. Thanks to support from the gaming community, along with the matching donation from PUBG Corp, the 10^th anniversary of Gamers for Giving is poised to be our most successful fundraiser to date.”

Earlier this year PUBG Corp. announced their plans to allocate $2 million from its 2017’s Gamescom Invitational Crate Key sales to charity campaigns in 2018, with Gamers for Giving being a focus of the company’s philanthropic efforts.

“From day 1, the team at PUBG Corp has been committed to maintaining a community-first philosophy in everything we do,” said Chan Han Kim, CEO, PUBG Corp. “Partnering with Gamers Outreach is a natural next step in our continued efforts to meaningfully give back some of the humbling success PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has had since it first entered Early Access a year ago.”

Gamers for Giving 2018 will take place on April 28^th and 29^th at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center. The event will be streamed live on Twitch.tv/GamersOutreach in partnership with a variety of influential content creators and personalities from the video game industry. Tickets are available to the general public; and anyone with interest in supporting the cause can donate directly or find information to fundraise at www.GamersforGiving.org.

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About PUBG Corp.

PUBG Corp. is a Seoul, Korea-based studio focused entirely on development and business opportunities for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and was formed as a subsidiary of Bluehole in early 2017. Catapulting onto the scene, PUBG has captured global attention, shattering multiple world records, winning industry awards, and continuing to grow and foster its multi-million user fanbase. For more information, visit https://playbattlegrounds.com/main.pu.

About Gamers Outreach

Gamers Outreach is a 501(c)(3) charity organization that provides recreation to children in hospitals through the power of video games and the gaming community. Hospitalization can often be a lonely, isolating, and scary experience for young people. Gamers Outreach eases those burdens by providing equipment, technology, and software that help kids cope with long-term treatment. More information can be found at www.GamersOutreach.org

About Gamers for Giving

Gamers for Giving is a weekend-long competitive gaming tournament, LAN party, & streamathon that raises money in support of Gamers Outreach programs. Ticket sales and donations help provide entertainment devices to hospitalized children. More information can be found at www.GamersforGiving.org

That special time of year is quickly approaching – Gamers for Giving 2018 is just under 4 weeks away!!

While LAN seats are entirely sold out, passes still remain for those who wish to compete in our console tournaments for Halo, Call of Duty, and Super Smash Bros Melee. All tickets are sold through our friends at LANFest, and can be purchased here.

Our team is busy working behind-the-scenes to ensure this year’s event is an incredible experience for everyone – those attending in person, and those watching online.

Between now and the big weekend, we’ll be rolling out a number of announcements related to our fundraising plans, special guests, and how you can support the cause! Be sure to check the Gamers for Giving website frequently, as we’ll be publishing multiple blog posts per week leading up to the event.

We look forward to seeing you on April 28th & 29th at the EMU Convocation Center!

Deeeeetttrrooooiiiiittt basssskkkeeettttballll!

A familiar rallying cry to any Michigan native who’s attended a Pistons’ basketball game.

As a Midwest-born community, we’re proud to announce the Detroit Pistons organization will be joining us at this year’s Gamers for Giving through their new esports branch – Pistons GT.

The Pistons GT are the franchise representatives for the new NBA 2K League, kicking off this coming May. As a sponsor of Gamers for Giving, we’re proud to help raise awareness of the Pistons GT brand, and the franchise’s overall support for the gaming community.

Expect some NBA 2K love during this year’s event, as well as a number of exciting giveaways for attendees and online donors.

You can also keep up with the latest news surrounding the Pistons GT on their official website here, or through their Twitter and Facebook pages.

We look forward to seeing you at Gamers for Giving on April 28th and 29th at the EMU Convocation Center!

Hey friends! We wanted to share this blog post off the main Gamers Outreach website to maximize awareness. WE’RE HIRING! We’re seeking a Content Marketing & Social Media Director to join our crew! Read below for all the specifics!

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Exciting news, fellow gamers! GAMERS OUTREACH IS HIRING!!

Gamers Outreach Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that helps thousands of children in hospitals across North America benefit from the power of interactive play through our programs. As witnesses ourselves, it’s clearly evident digital recreation helps create a sense of joy and relief for children receiving treatment. Video games make a tremendous impact within healthcare facilities.

We believe the stories of patients deserve to be shared.  By doing so, we hope to raise awareness of the needs hospitals face, the battles being fought by children and their families, how technology makes a difference, and ways for communities to get involved.

To lead this effort, Gamers Outreach is seeking a seasoned Content Marketing & Social Media Director to join our crew.

This is a hybrid role that requires a mix of skills. The ideal candidate will develop and execute strategies to attract supporters and inspire actions that grow the impact of Gamers Outreach programs within hospitals. This person will report to the Executive Director and develop unforgettable campaigns that shed light on patients, hospital staff, and the role of entertainment in healthcare facilities. The person who fills this role will oversee the entirety of our digital presence including our website, social media channels, email, marketing automation, display, affiliate SEM, and SEO.

We’re looking for a high energy team player who is capable of working autonomously to materialize our vision through the power of story. This is a remote position.

Sound like the perfect role for you? Read below for the specific responsibilities! We’ll be accepting applications from March – May, with the intent of beginning interviews in late May, and hiring in June / July.

Role: Content Marketing & Social Media Director

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and implementation of all digital communication solutions.
• Design and implement digital marketing campaigns focused on awareness, audience growth, and conversion.
• Bring Gamers Outreach programs to life through story. Work with hospitals, patients, and their families to share the impact of technology in the healthcare setting with a sense of joy and dignity.
• Create and manage media content across all social channels. Recruit and manage content teams responsible for collecting photo / video assets for use in marketing materials.
• Develop and own quarterly content planning calendar for all website and key social media posts. Monitor, listen, and respond to community across social channels. Maintain a regular publishing schedule and implement a content editorial calendar with consideration to organization-wide events and program implementation.
• Provide quarterly report recapping key metrics and events, illustrating how content correlates with program growth.
• Utilize data and social analytics to effectively engage supporters and refine campaigns.
• Become the “voice” of Gamers Outreach. Maintain a communication tone that connects with both gaming enthusiasts and healthcare professionals.

Must-Haves

• At least 5 – 7 years of hands-on digital marketing experience
• Strong interpersonal and communication (written and oral) skills with the ability to work well cross-functionally and interact with internal / external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success managing and growing social channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.) for brands and/or consumer goods companies.
• The ideal candidate is a video game enthusiast with a passion for making a difference in the world. This person believes in the cause of Gamers Outreach.
• Experience as a content creator or managing creative teams (photographers, agencies, graphic designers, videographers) to develop asset libraries that can be leveraged for effective messaging.
• Solid expertise in all areas of marketing strategy development including customer targeting, brand strategy, integrated communications planning, brand and corporate partnerships, campaign measurement and optimization, digital and social media strategy and analytics.
• Ability to travel 15% – 25% of the time (domestically)
• Strong understanding of technology and software pertinent to the role.
• Preference for a candidate that has experience with nonprofits.

Skills

• You take initiative.
  You see something that needs improvement and you take action. You propose solutions to problems. You have a proven ability to plan, lead, implement and track marketing projects from concept through implementation. You’re proactive about making sure various departments have the information they need about your projects. You work well autonomously.
• You know what you’re doing.
  You’re a born marketer with a proven track record managing a high performing marketing function. You’re a true marketing generalist with a broad range of hands-on experience. You have a strong understanding of the online marketing ecosystem and a deep understanding of all online marketing channels (e.g. email, marketing automation, social media, display, affiliate, SEM and SEO). You can handle just about anything that comes your way.
• You’re a communications ace.
  You know that the secret to success is keeping people in the know. You not only know what to communicate but when, how and why it’s important. You possess exceptional interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• You’re big hearted.
  You take pride in being a do-gooder and live with a sense of altruism in your personal and professional life. You have a genuine concern for others and want to make the world a better place.
• You’re a leader.
  Community leadership and participation (both online and offline) are integral to the success of this role. An essential component of this role is communicating the Gamers Outreach brand and those we represent in a positive, authentic way.

Benefits
Working at Gamers Outreach comes with a variety of benefits! While we’re open to working with contractors or agencies to fill this position, full-time employees can expect the following:

• Retirement
  • 401K and Employer Match
• Healthcare
  • Dental & Vision
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Employer-paid Life Insurance
  • Employer-paid Short & Long Term Disability
• The Anywhere Office
  • Unlimited vacation policy. Just make sure your work is done!
  • Paid Holidays
  • Work Remotely
• Weekly Staff Gaming Session
  • Gaming day every Wednesday afternoon with co-workers.
• Sabbatical
  • After 4 years employees are encouraged to take a 4 – 6 week paid sabbatical to pursue their personal goals or learn new skills.
• Pet / Child Friendly
  • Boarding / Babysitter expense account when traveling for Gamers Outreach.

Best of luck to all applicants! We look forward to reviewing your submission!

Our crew is proud to once again welcome DreamHack (yes, that DreamHack) aboard as a sponsor of Gamers for Giving!

Last year, DreamHack provided an arsenal of PC hardware that empowered our stream-team to broadcast live at Gamers for Giving. We’re happy to report we’ll once again be relying on their allotment of high-end gaming PCs for this year’s guests!

DreamHack operates the indisputable largest LAN parties in the world (DreamHack Summer / DreamHack Winter) with close to 10,000 attendees who enjoy DreamHack through its BYOC. DreamHack events also feature world class esports tournaments, DreamExpo, and cosplay. Their gatherings are a celebration of all things Internet happening several times each year all around the world.

Last year, DreamHack expanded its offering of events to the United States. We had the opportunity to exhibit at their Austin expo, and can personally attest to the awe-inspiring nature of their LANs.

We’re so excited to continue our relationship with DreamHack, and plan to once again have a presence at one of their U.S. shows (TBA). Be sure to give them some love on Facebook and Twitter, and join us in welcoming their team to Gamers for Giving 2018!

Gamers for Giving 2018 is shaping up to be an incredible event, and much of it will be made possible thanks to our sponsoring donors and partners.

To kick off our first sponsorship announcement of 2018, we’re proud to recognize CablesAndKits for their ongoing support of Gamers Outreach and Gamers for Giving!

CablesAndKits is one of the most recognized pre-owned/refurbished Cisco network equipment dealers in the US and one of the largest Cisco network accessory suppliers in the world! They’re a fantastic resource for IT professionals, and for the past seven years, have been part of Inc Magazine’s list of 5000 Fasted Growing Companies.

Since our move to the EMU Convocation Center, CablesAndKits has donated thousands of dollars worth of networking equipment in support of Gamers for Giving. Their contribution has empowered us to raise hundreds of thousands more, expanding the impact of Gamers Outreach programs, ultimately benefiting children and families in hospitals.

As you can imagine, producing a large LAN party takes significant planning and IT resources. Thanks to support from CablesAndKits, we’re able to keep our network gear fully up-to-date to ensure seamless gaming experiences for all attendees! While this equipment is more “behind-the-scenes” type stuff – it’s an absolutely vital component of Gamers for Giving being a reality!

If you’ve got a bit of time, please be sure to send CablesAndKits a note of appreciation on their Facebook or Twitter pages. We’re grateful for their support, and can’t wait for you to play some games on all their shiny new gear!

We can’t wait for you to experience their networking-goodness on April 28th & 29th at the EMU Convocation Center!

Ever wanted be a part of the Gamers Outreach crew? Now’s your chance! We’re looking for volunteers to help at Gamers for Giving 2018!

Applying to volunteer is easy. Simply click the link below and tell us about your skills and interests! If an opportunity is available, we’ll reach out and invite you to join the crew!

We’re looking for volunteers to help with…

• Setup: Thursday, April 26th | Friday, April 27th
• During the event: Saturday, April 28th | Sunday, April 29th
• Tear down: Monday, April 30th

Volunteering is a great way to get involved with the Gamers Outreach community and gain experience working in the video game industry. Did we mention you get to help provide joy and gaming to kids in hospitals? How can you say no to this!?

Come help us make the 10th anniversary of Gamers for Giving an event to never forget! Hope to have you out with us!

Apply to volunteer here.