This holiday season, Save the Children is set to debut its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a two‑day event called Save Point. The concept, which merges live streaming, competitive play and charitable giving, is designed to tap into the enthusiasm of gamers worldwide and channel that energy toward helping children in need during the most vulnerable time of the year. Fiona Baxter, the organisation’s senior fundraising manager, shared her thoughts with GamesIndustry.biz, saying that Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the charity’s connection with the gaming community. “We wanted a way to engage gamers not just as occasional donors but as partners who could bring their audiences into the conversation about child welfare,” Baxter explained.
“Traditional fundraisers like marathons are fantastic, but they aren’t accessible to everyone. A gaming‑centric event lowers the barrier to entry and gives people who might never consider running a race a chance to make a tangible impact.” The event will be anchored by a collaboration with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who has already demonstrated a knack for rallying his followers for good causes.
Earlier this year, his channel helped raise more than £5,000 for Save the Children, proving that a single influencer can mobilise substantial resources when the message resonates. Baxter hopes that this partnership will be the first of many, stating, “Our goal is to keep nurturing relationships with gamers, streamers and their audiences long after Save Point concludes. If we can turn a one‑off donation into a lasting community of supporters, we’ll have achieved something far bigger than the money raised on those two days.” According to Baxter, success will be measured not only in dollars but also in the depth of engagement. “If we walk away with a new crew of gamers who feel inspired to keep supporting us, perhaps even organising their own streams or charity tournaments, that will be a massive win,” she said.
“The feedback we gather will be a goldmine for refining future events, allowing us to scale up and create even more ambitious gaming fundraisers year after year.” Baxter also highlighted what she calls the “unsung heroes of fundraising” – the gamers and streamers who, often behind the scenes, dedicate hours of playtime, audience interaction and technical know‑how to drive donations. She believes the gaming world is setting a "new, innovative standard" for charitable work, blending entertainment with empathy in a way that feels natural to its participants. “Gamers love stories, imagination and escaping into new worlds.
When we redirect that passion toward real‑world change, we showcase the incredible power of the gaming community to effect lasting, positive outcomes.” Save Point is a flagship component of Save the Children’s broader campaign titled “The One Delivery That Matters,” which launches in November 2026. The campaign aims to shift public focus from traditional holiday gifts to the essential supplies that many children desperately need during the winter months—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter underscored this point, noting, “Anything you can order with a tap on a screen can be delivered to a doorstep, but for millions of children this Christmas, the deliveries they’re waiting for aren’t toys or sweets; they’re life‑saving essentials.” The event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026. Participants can sign up through a dedicated registration page, where they will receive guidance on setting up a fundraising livestream, tips for engaging viewers, and resources to help maximize donation totals.
The platform will provide tools for tracking contributions in real time, enabling streamers to celebrate milestones and encourage further giving throughout the broadcast. Beyond the immediate financial goal, Save Point is intended to serve as a learning laboratory for the charity. Baxter emphasized that this is the organisation’s first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, and the insights gathered will inform future initiatives. “We’ll be analysing everything—from viewer demographics and donation patterns to the technical challenges streamers face.
That data will help us craft bigger, better events that can reach even more supporters and raise more funds for children in crisis,” she said. In addition to the core livestreams, the event will feature a series of side activities designed to keep the community engaged. These include charity speed‑run challenges, in‑game charity skins whose purchase proceeds go directly to the campaign, and collaborative multiplayer sessions where viewers can join the streamer’s game world and contribute through micro‑donations.
By offering a variety of participation methods, Save Point aims to accommodate both casual gamers who might donate a few dollars and hardcore players who can host marathon streams lasting several hours. The partnership with TheKapFantastic also brings a narrative element to the fundraiser. The streamer plans to share personal stories of children helped by Save the Children, interspersed with gameplay commentary, thereby humanising the cause and giving viewers a clear picture of where their contributions are headed.
Baxter believes this storytelling approach will deepen emotional connections and drive higher donation rates. Overall, Save Point represents a strategic pivot for Save the Children, embracing digital culture and the growing influence of online entertainment to broaden its donor base. By aligning the charity’s mission with the values and habits of the gaming community—creativity, collaboration, and a love for immersive experiences—Baxter and her team hope to set a precedent for how non‑profits can innovate in the modern fundraising landscape.
If you’re interested in joining the movement, you can register your interest via the official Save Point sign‑up page. Once registered, you’ll receive a toolkit that includes step‑by‑step instructions for launching a livestream, promotional graphics, and best‑practice advice for engaging audiences and converting viewership into meaningful support for children worldwide.