This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first game‑centric and live‑streaming fundraising campaign, aptly named "Save Point." The initiative is designed to tap into the vibrant world of video games and online streaming, offering a novel way for supporters to contribute to the organization’s mission during the festive period. Fiona Baxter, the senior fundraising manager at Save the Children, 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 platform that would let us interact with gamers and streamers on a level that goes beyond traditional sponsorships," she said. "Not everyone can commit to a marathon or a long‑distance bike ride, but a gaming marathon is far more inclusive, allowing a wider range of people to get involved and see the impact they can make." To bring the event to life, the charity has teamed up with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously helped raise more than £5,000 for Save the Children earlier in the year. Baxter emphasized that this partnership is just the beginning of a longer‑term strategy to cultivate relationships with gamers, influencers, and their audiences. "Our hope is that, after the event, we’ll have opened a door to a whole new segment of supporters who are excited to keep gaming for good causes," she explained.
"If we can walk away with a fresh crew of ambassadors who want to host their own streams or organize gaming nights for charity, we’ll consider the project a massive win." Baxter also highlighted the learning curve involved in pioneering this type of fundraiser. "Because this is our first foray into a gaming‑focused campaign, the insights we gather—from viewer engagement metrics to donation patterns—will be priceless.
They’ll help us refine the format and scale up future events, making each successive Save Point bigger and more effective," she noted. In her view, gamers and streamers are the "unsung heroes of fundraising," and she believes the gaming sector is "setting a new, innovative standard" for how charitable causes can be supported. "There’s a shared understanding among game lovers that we’re a community driven by storytelling, imagination, and the desire to escape into new worlds.
When we channel that passion toward real‑world change, we demonstrate just how powerful and impactful the gaming community can be," Baxter said. Save Point is a key component of Save the Children’s broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which kicks off in November 2026.
The campaign aims to shift the focus of holiday gifting from material presents to essential supplies for children in need—such as nutritious food, life‑saving medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter illustrated the contrast vividly: "Anyone can order a toy with a few clicks, but for millions of children this Christmas, the most critical deliveries are those that sustain life and protect childhood." The event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026, and will feature a marathon of live streams, gaming challenges, and interactive donation drives. Participants can sign up through a dedicated registration portal, where they will receive guidance on setting up their own fundraising livestreams, tips for engaging audiences, and resources to maximize donation potential. Beyond the two‑day window, Save the Children plans to leverage the momentum generated by Save Point to build an ongoing network of gaming‑focused advocates.
The charity intends to host regular virtual tournaments, collaborative streams with popular creators, and community‑driven challenges throughout the year. These activities will not only raise funds but also raise awareness about the organization’s work in emergency response, education, and child protection. By integrating the excitement of gaming with the urgency of humanitarian aid, Save Point seeks to demonstrate that digital entertainment can be a force for tangible, lasting change.
As Baxter summed up, "When we turn our love of games into a catalyst for delivering food, medicine, and safety to children who need it most, we prove that play and purpose are not mutually exclusive—they can, in fact, amplify each other."