Jingle Jam Aims to Unite 1,000 Streamers for Charity

In the early 2010s, Lewis Brindley and Simon Lane rose to fame with their entertaining Minecraft videos on their channel, The Yogscast. As their popularity grew, they began receiving gifts from fans during the holiday season in 2011. However, they felt uneasy about accepting these gifts and instead asked their fans to donate to charity. This marked the beginning of Jingle Jam, which initially started as a simple charity drive. The duo set up a JustGiving page and encouraged their fans to donate, resulting in a substantial amount being raised. In 2013, Yogscast took Jingle Jam to the next level by offering a collection of games to donors who contributed above a certain amount. This move proved to be highly successful, with the charity raising $1 million that year. By 2021, Jingle Jam had expanded beyond The Yogscast channel, with numerous streamers participating in online streams to support the cause. According to Rich Keith, the chair of Jingle Jam, the charity's mission is to make the world a better place for children and young people. In 2023, the funds raised by Jingle Jam were used to support various initiatives, including providing aid to 20,000 young people contemplating suicide, offering digital learning to 120,000 children affected by the war in Ukraine, and campaigning to end whale hunting in Norway. The charity has raised a total of £25 million since its inception. This year, Jingle Jam aims to involve over 1,000 streamers, with notable participants including TommyInnit, Talia Mar, and Tubbo. The charity drive will feature several tentpole events, including a 24-hour stream by Jack Manifold and a Magic the Gathering event with Kiwo. Jingle Jam has undergone significant changes, including becoming a registered charity in 2022 and focusing its efforts on supporting a smaller number of charities. This year, the charity will be supporting eight charities, including CALM and Warchild, which will be part of Jingle Jam for three years. The Game Collection, which is a key part of Jingle Jam, will feature higher-profile titles to attract more donors. Keith expressed his gratitude to the industry for its support and noted that being involved in Jingle Jam can have marketing benefits. Looking ahead, Keith is ambitious about Jingle Jam's potential, aiming to raise £5 million annually over the next three years. With the support of the world's biggest content creators and games partners, Keith believes that Jingle Jam can continue to grow and make a significant impact.