This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑centric and live‑stream fundraising initiative, dubbed Save Point. The concept emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the gaming community, according to Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, who spoke to GamesIndustry.biz.
Baxter highlighted that Save Point offers a new avenue for interaction with gamers, both through formal partnerships and individual supporters. "Not everyone can take on the challenge of a marathon, so an event like this is far more accessible and showcases what a different type of supporter can achieve," she explained. By leveraging the popularity of video games and the reach of streaming platforms, the charity hopes to tap into a demographic that is passionate, tech‑savvy, and eager to contribute to social good. The initiative is being powered in part by a collaboration with popular online content creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously helped raise over £5,000 for Save the Children earlier in the year.
Baxter emphasized that the organization intends to nurture and expand these relationships long after the event concludes. "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 it a huge success if we walk away from this event with a new crew of supporters who might want to game for us again because of their experience with us." Because this is Save the Children’s first foray into a gaming‑focused fundraiser, the team anticipates a steep learning curve.
"There are also a lot of learning opportunities in this event. This is our first time doing this type of fundraiser, so the feedback we get will be invaluable and help us shape bigger and better gaming events year‑on‑year," Baxter added. She described gamers and streamers as "the unsung heroes of fundraising," noting that the gaming world is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. According to Baxter, gamers share a unique cultural mindset: "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." This sentiment underscores the charity’s belief that the narrative‑driven nature of games can be harnessed to inspire empathy and action. Save Point forms a key part of Save the Children’s broader campaign titled "The One Delivery That Matters," slated to launch in November 2026.
The campaign aims to shift public attention from traditional holiday gifts to the essential supplies that many children desperately need during the festive period—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter illustrated the contrast vividly: "Absolutely anything you could think of can be delivered right to your door at the tap of a screen.
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 event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026, and will run as a two‑day live‑stream marathon where participants can register, set up their own fundraising channels, and engage audiences through gameplay, challenges, and interactive giveaways. Those interested can sign up via the provided link, which will also supply guidance on technical setup, donation tracking, and best practices for audience engagement.
Beyond the immediate fundraising goal, Save Point seeks to lay the groundwork for a sustainable partnership model between charities and the gaming ecosystem. By demonstrating measurable impact—both in terms of funds raised and awareness generated—the charity hopes to attract more developers, esports teams, and platform owners to future collaborations. This could eventually lead to in‑game charity events, special edition content whose proceeds go to humanitarian causes, or even dedicated charity servers that foster community building around social impact. In addition to monetary contributions, the event aims to educate viewers about the specific challenges faced by children in conflict zones, climate‑affected regions, and areas hit by natural disasters.
Through curated storytelling segments interspersed with gameplay, Save the Children plans to illustrate how a single donation can translate into life‑saving interventions, such as delivering clean water to a refugee camp or providing school supplies to children displaced by war. The choice of a streaming format is strategic: live platforms like Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming allow real‑time interaction, enabling donors to see their contributions reflected instantly on screen, often accompanied by on‑screen acknowledgments, leaderboards, and shout‑outs.
This immediacy can amplify the sense of participation and community, turning passive viewers into active contributors. Finally, Baxter expressed optimism about the long‑term ripple effects of Save Point.
"If we can turn a single weekend of gaming into a catalyst for ongoing support, we’ll have set a precedent that other charities can follow," she said. "The ultimate goal is to embed charitable giving into the everyday habits of gamers, making it as natural as logging in for a match." Save Point represents a bold experiment at the intersection of entertainment and philanthropy, aiming to prove that the power of play can be redirected toward tangible, life‑changing outcomes for children worldwide.