This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused and streaming‑based fundraiser, an event dubbed "Save Point." The initiative is designed to tap into the enthusiasm of gamers and online audiences, turning playtime into a powerful vehicle for raising funds and awareness for children in need. Fiona Baxter, the organization’s senior fundraising manager, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that the concept for Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the charity’s connection with the gaming community.
"We wanted a way to engage more directly with gamers, not just through traditional partnerships but also by inviting individual supporters to take part," Baxter explained. "Not everyone can run a marathon or climb a mountain, but a gaming marathon is far more accessible.
It gives people a chance to show what a different kind of supporter can achieve when they channel their passion for games into a good cause." To bring the event to life, Save the Children has teamed up with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously helped the charity raise more than £5,000 earlier this year. The collaboration underscores the growing trend of influencers leveraging their platforms for philanthropy. Baxter emphasized that the partnership is just the beginning: "After Save Point, we hope to keep nurturing relationships with gamers and streamers.
The goal is to build a lasting network of supporters who understand our mission and are eager to contribute again in the future." According to Baxter, the true measure of success will be the new community of backers that emerges from the event. "If we walk away with a fresh crew of gamers who want to keep supporting us because of the experience they had, that will be a massive win," she said.
"It’s not just about the money raised in those two days; it’s about creating a sustainable pipeline of advocates who will champion our cause long after the livestream ends." Because Save Point marks the charity’s first foray into this type of fundraising, Baxter anticipates a steep learning curve. "We’ll be gathering a lot of feedback from participants, viewers, and our partners. That insight will be priceless as we refine the format and aim for even larger, more impactful gaming events in the years to come," she noted. Baxter also highlighted the pivotal role that gamers and streamers play in modern philanthropy, calling them "the unsung heroes of fundraising." She pointed out that the gaming arena is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support, blending entertainment with empathy.
"Gamers are storytellers at heart. We love immersive worlds, imaginative narratives, and the sense of escape that games provide. When we redirect that passion toward real‑world change, we demonstrate just how influential the gaming community can be," she said.
Save Point is a cornerstone of Save the Children’s broader campaign titled "The One Delivery That Matters," slated to launch in November 2026. The campaign aims to shift the public’s focus from material gifts to essential supplies that children desperately need during the holiday season—items such as nutritious food, vital medicines, warm clothing, and safe shelter.
Baxter illustrated the contrast with a vivid analogy: "In the digital age, you can order almost anything with a tap of a screen and have it delivered to your doorstep. Yet for millions of children this Christmas, the deliveries they’re hoping for aren’t toys or sweets; they’re lifesaving provisions that protect their health and preserve their childhoods." The Save Point event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026. Participants can sign up through a dedicated registration link, which will also provide guidance on setting up a fundraising livestream, choosing donation platforms, and promoting the cause to their audiences. By combining the excitement of live gaming with a clear charitable purpose, Save the Children hopes to inspire a wave of new donors and demonstrate the untapped potential of the gaming sector as a force for good.
In addition to the core livestream, the organization plans to feature interactive challenges, guest appearances by notable developers, and exclusive in‑game rewards that donors can unlock. These elements are intended to keep viewers engaged, encourage repeated donations, and showcase how digital experiences can be harnessed for humanitarian impact. Overall, Save Point represents a bold experiment in merging entertainment with empathy, aiming to set a precedent for future collaborations between charities and the gaming industry.
By inviting gamers to turn their screen time into a conduit for change, Save the Children hopes to not only raise critical funds for children in need but also to cement the gaming community’s reputation as a powerful ally in the fight for a better world.