PRESENTATION OUTLINE
It was founded in 2003 by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, authors of the popular computer and video games-based webcomic Penny Arcade.
As of 2014, Child's Play had processed $33.6 million of donations since its inception.
Child's Play was announced as a response to the often negative portrayal of video gamers in the media, most notably a HeraldNet article by Bill France entitled "Violent video games are training children to kill." It received positive press on many popular weblogs, including Slashdot and received direct endorsement from Wil Wheaton. In less than one month of publicity and operation, the charity raised over $250,000 in cash and toys for the Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.
In 2004, the charity was expanded and partnered with children's hospitals in Seattle, Washington; Oakland, California; San Diego, California; Houston, Texas and Washington, D.C.
In 2005, the charity was again expanded to partner with an additional seven children's hospitals across the United States, as well as children's hospitals in Toronto and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is also partnered with Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, England.
Since then, they have expanded even further and are now partnered with hospitals all around the world.
In 2010, Epic Games held a vote-by-purchase event between July 29 and September 6 to determine the fate of a character, Clayton Carmine, in their upcoming game Gears of War 3. Gamers voted by purchasing Xbox avatar t-shirts through Xbox Live, or real life t-shirts at San Diego Comic-Con, with all purchases counting towards the vote. The voting campaign raised over $150,000, all of which was donated to Child's Play.
Annual Totals
2003: $250,000
2004: $310,000
2005: $605,000
2006: $1,024,000
2007: $1,300,000
2008: $1,434,377
2009: $1,780,870
2010: $2,294,317
Annual Totals, cont.
2011: $3,512,345
2012: $5,085,761
2013: $7,600,000
2014: $8,430,000
Running total as of February 9, 9:34 a.m.
$39,973,679
