The Child's Play 2008 charity drive has officially launched, and the Web site has been updated so you can donate toys and games to children in hospitals worldwide. The charity was organized in 2003 by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade.

We ended our 2007 drive with over 1.3 million dollars in donations, thanks to gamers all over the globe. We’re welcoming ten new hospitals in Canada and the US to the Child’s Play network, so please have a look at the map to see if your local children’s hospital has come on board. Every hospital has a wish list full of gifts, and is hoping for your support.

We hope you'll visit the Child's Play site and consider purchasing some gifts. All you have to do is click on a hospital on the map and you'll be sent to the hospital's wish list on Amazon.com. It's that simple. For more information, check out Mike's recent post on the Penny Arcade site. The "thank you" letter they received from a hospital in Connecticut says it all. The full post is also below.

It's time to be amazing again people. The Child's Play site is updated and open for business. You know the drill by this point. Select a hospital from the map and then choose a toy for them. 

in addition to toys sent directly to the hospitals we also receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash donations every year. We then divide this money up and dole it out to various hospitals throughout the year. One such hospital that received a grant from Child's Play (that is to say you guys) was the Hospital for Special Care in Connecticut. They specialize in a lot of different types of treatment including what they call "medically complex pediatrics ". We recently received a thank you letter from them and since it's your money they are thanking us for I thought I should share it with you.

Hi, Kristin,

I thought I'd bring you up to date on what we're doing with the funds

from your grant.  We bought a number of handheld video games which can

be loaned to patients who are confined to their beds.  In addition, we

bought a Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit.  This is a HUGE success and we will

probably buy several more.  Not only are they suitable for recreation,

but they serve a therapeutic purpose as well.  We have discovered that

spinal cord injured patients can sit on the Fit's balance board and

work on core balance by playing the games.  Although we had initially

thought we'd buy computer equipment, this is a much better use of the

funds, and, I hope, you'll "approve."  So, in addition to the library

reaping the benefits, we are able to get the equipment out to where

the patients live at our hospital - on the units and in the gyms.

Thank you again for the generosity of Child's Play. I hope that, in the

future, we might be able to apply for additional funds.  There are

plans to convert space into a patient recreation center and we would like

to include additional games, equipment, etc. that would enhance their

quality of life.

Best,

Amy

Amy L. Frey, MA AHIP

Manager, Health Sciences Library & Resource Center

Hospital for Special Care

2150 Corbin Avenue

New Britain, CT 06053

I wanted to mention this because I understand that the way things are right now, buying toys for sick kids might not be an option no matter how much you'd like it to be. I wanted to make sure you knew that even giving a couple dollars to Child's Play helps out. Trust me when I tell you that it all adds up and as you can see by the mail above it really makes a difference. You guys have never ceased to amaze me with your generosity and I'm sure 2008 will be no different.