This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a live‑streamed event dubbed "Save Point." The concept was conceived as a way to deepen the organization’s connection with the vibrant world of video games and the people who populate it. Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that the idea for Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to reach out more actively to gamers, both through strategic partnerships and by inviting individual supporters to take part. "Not everyone is able to run a marathon or climb a mountain for a cause, but a gaming marathon is far more accessible," Baxter explained. "It gives us the chance to illustrate how a different kind of participant can make a tangible impact." To bring the event to life, Save the Children has teamed up with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, a personality who previously helped raise more than £5,000 for the charity earlier in the year.
The collaboration is intended to serve as a springboard for ongoing relationships with the broader gaming community once the two‑day fundraiser concludes. "If we can introduce more people in this space to the work we do and why it matters, that would be a massive win," Baxter said. "I’ll consider the event a triumph if we walk away with a fresh cohort of gamers who want to partner with us again because of the positive experience they had." Baxter also highlighted the learning curve involved in venturing into this new fundraising format.
"Because this is our first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, the insights we gather from participants and viewers will be priceless. They’ll help us refine and expand future gaming events, making them bigger and more effective each year," she noted.
In her view, gamers and streamers are often the "unsung heroes of fundraising," and she believes the gaming arena is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She elaborated, "There’s a shared understanding among game lovers that we’re a community that cherishes stories, imagination, and the escape into new worlds that play provides. When we channel that passion toward real‑world change, we demonstrate just how powerful and impactful the gaming community can be." Save Point forms part of Save the Children’s broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which launches in November 2026.
The campaign aims to shift the focus of the holiday season from material gifts to essential supplies that children in crisis desperately need—such as nutritious food, life‑saving medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter emphasized this point, saying, "Anything you can imagine being delivered to your doorstep with a tap of a screen is possible. But for millions of children this Christmas, it isn’t toys or candy they’re awaiting—it’s the deliveries that will safeguard their lives and preserve their childhoods." The Save Point event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026. During those 48 hours, streamers, influencers, and everyday gamers will host live fundraising sessions, encouraging viewers to donate directly to Save the Children’s emergency relief efforts.
Participants can sign up through a dedicated registration portal, where they will also receive guidance on setting up a successful fundraising livestream, including tips on audience engagement, donation mechanics, and technical best practices. By leveraging the interactivity of live streams, the charity hopes to create a dynamic two‑way conversation with the gaming audience, allowing donors to see in real time how their contributions translate into tangible aid. The event will feature milestone challenges, such as unlocking special in‑game rewards or achieving collective donation targets, to keep momentum high and reward community effort.
Beyond the immediate fundraising goals, Save Point is designed to serve as a long‑term bridge between the nonprofit sector and the gaming industry. Baxter envisions a future where collaborations like this become routine, with game developers, esports teams, and streaming platforms integrating charitable components into their core offerings. "We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible," she said.
"If we can prove that a gaming marathon can raise substantial funds and awareness, it opens the door to even larger partnerships—think charity tournaments with prize pools, in‑game purchase options that donate a percentage, or even dedicated charity servers where every match contributes to a cause." The event also aims to spotlight the personal stories of children whose lives are directly improved by the donations. Throughout the livestream, short documentary clips and live updates will illustrate how food parcels, medical kits, and winter clothing are distributed to families in need, reinforcing the tangible impact of each viewer’s contribution.
In summary, Save Point represents a pioneering step for Save the Children, marrying the immersive world of gaming with the urgent mission of delivering life‑saving aid to children worldwide. By inviting the gaming community to rally around a shared purpose, the charity hopes to set a precedent for innovative, inclusive fundraising that can be replicated across causes and continents in the years to come.