This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a two‑day event dubbed Save Point. The concept was conceived as a way to deepen the organization’s connection with the vibrant gaming community, a demographic that has historically been under‑tapped by traditional charity campaigns.
Fiona Baxter, the senior fundraising manager at Save the Children, told GamesIndustry.biz that Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to "engage more meaningfully with gamers and streamers alike." She explained that while classic fundraising challenges—marathons, bike rides, or long‑distance walks—are powerful, they can also be physically demanding and therefore inaccessible to many potential supporters. "Not everyone can run a marathon," Baxter said, "so an event like this, which can be joined from a living room or a bedroom, opens the door for a much wider audience to contribute and feel part of something bigger." The charity has teamed up with popular online content creator and Twitch streamer TheKapFantastic, who earlier in the year helped raise more than £5,000 for Save the Children through his own channel.
This partnership is intended to serve as a proof of concept: a single influential creator can mobilise his followers to donate, raise awareness, and ultimately drive tangible change for children in need. Looking beyond the immediate fundraiser, Baxter emphasized that Save the Children hopes to cultivate long‑term relationships with the gaming ecosystem. "It would be incredible to reach more people in this community with information about the work we do and why it matters," she said. "I’ll consider the event a massive success if, after it ends, we have a fresh crew of gamers and streamers who want to collaborate with us again because they enjoyed the experience and saw the impact of their contributions." Because Save Point is a brand‑new format for the charity, Baxter also highlighted the learning potential embedded in the initiative.
"This is our first time doing this type of fundraiser, so the feedback we receive will be invaluable and will help us shape bigger and better gaming events year after year," she noted. The organization plans to analyze metrics such as viewer engagement, donation spikes during peak gameplay moments, and the effectiveness of different streaming platforms in order to refine future campaigns. Baxter described gamers and streamers as the "unsung heroes of fundraising," pointing out that the gaming world is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She argued that the community’s shared love of narrative, imagination, and immersive experiences creates a natural bridge to philanthropy.
"There is an understanding among game‑lovers that we are a group of people who love stories, imagination and escaping to new worlds through the power of play. By turning our love of gaming into a force for real‑world, lasting change, we're demonstrating just how powerful and impactful the gaming community can be," she said. Save Point is a central component of Save the Children’s broader campaign, "The One Delivery That Matters," which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public focus from material gifts to essential supplies that children in crisis zones need most during the festive period—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter.
Baxter underscored the stark contrast between the consumer‑driven holiday narrative and the harsh reality faced by millions of children. "Absolutely anything you could think of can be delivered right to your door at the tap of a screen," she observed. "But for millions of children this Christmas, it’s not toys or treats they’re waiting for – it's the deliveries that will save lives and protect childhoods." The Save Point event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026.
Participants can sign up by registering their interest through a dedicated link, where they will receive guidance on setting up a fundraising livestream, choosing donation platforms, and promoting their streams to maximize reach. The charity will provide promotional assets, suggested talking points, and real‑time updates on donation totals to keep both streamers and viewers engaged throughout the two‑day window. By merging the interactive allure of gaming with the altruistic drive of charitable giving, Save the Children hopes to pioneer a model that other nonprofits can emulate. The organization believes that when gamers channel their competitive spirit and collaborative ethos toward a common cause, the result can be a powerful engine for social good.
As the event approaches, the charity is eager to see how many new supporters will emerge, how much funding will be raised for children in need, and what insights will be gathered to refine future gaming‑centric fundraisers. In summary, Save Point represents an ambitious experiment that leverages the reach, enthusiasm, and community spirit of modern gamers. It offers an accessible entry point for individuals who might not be able to partake in traditional physical challenges, while also providing a platform for creators to showcase their influence for a humanitarian purpose. If successful, the initiative could signal a lasting shift in how charities engage with digital audiences, turning play into a catalyst for real‑world impact.