Video game industry charity provides recreation to children undergoing hospital treatments; aims to donate 100 GO Karts in 2017
March 22, 2017 – Gamers Outreach, a 501(c)(3) organization, today announced the delivery of its next generation “GO Karts” (Gamers Outreach Karts), medical-grade gaming kiosks which provide recreation through video games to children undergoing hospital treatments. With help from Team Xbox, Gamers Outreach delivered 10 next generation Xbox GO Karts, the biggest donation in Gamers Outreach history, to Seattle Children’s Hospital. These new GO Karts come equipped with a gaming console, monitor, controllers, an assortment of games and help provide patients with a familiar social environment through gameplay. Each kiosk also has an internal lift mechanism, allowing hospital staff to adjust the height of the kiosk to their patient’s bedside.
GO Karts are provided to hospitals across the country through individual donations and Gamers Outreach initiatives. A total of 36 first generation GO Karts currently support 19 hospitals across the United States. Gamers Outreach aims to donate 100 next generation GO Karts to hospitals this year and ultimately, place a kiosk in every children’s hospital across the country. Thirty-seven next generation GO Karts are already committed through individual donations to children’s treatment facilities. The funding commitment for a next generation GO Kart is $3,500 and includes all of the aforementioned equipment, as well as shipping, setup, and service.
“It’s amazing to see this project come to life after a year of planning,” says Gamers Outreach founder, Zach Wigal. “The GO Kart initiative started as a one-off passion project and has grown to a program that supports patients nationwide. With our next generation of GO Karts, we’re able to deliver these kiosks more efficiently, and ultimately have a much greater impact in the lives of the kids and families going through hospitalization.”
Gamers Outreach’s annual fundraiser, Gamers For Giving, aims to raise $200,000 this year and will take place in Michigan on April 1st and 2nd. The two-day long LAN party brings thousands of players, professional gamers and Gamers Outreach supporters together at the event’s venue and through a weekend-long online stream, with a common goal of raising money to place GO Karts in hospitals.
Gamers for Giving is proudly supported by a number of partners including, but not limited to: Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers, truth®, and 5-Hour ENERGY. With their help, Gamers Outreach moves closer to the goals it’s committed itself to with each passing day.
Anyone can support Gamers Outreach by visiting gamersoutreach.org/donate. There, one can make a contribution, sign-up to volunteer, or start their own fundraising campaign to donate a GO Kart to a children’s hospital in their community.
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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.
About Gamers For Giving
Founded in 2008, Gamers for Giving is a competitive gaming tournament and LAN party that helps generate resources for the initiatives of Gamers Outreach. Hosted in Michigan, the event has become one of the largest independent LAN parties in the United States. Funds raised during the event help support Gamers Outreach charity programs, such as building portable gaming carts for children in hospitals.