Child's Play Raises $1.7 Million In 2009

The Child's Play charity, which raises money to provide games, toys, and books to dozens of hospitals around the world, raised over $1.7 million in 2009, an all-time high. The charity, which was founded by Penny Arcade comic creators Jerry "Tycho" Holkins and Mike "Gabe" Krahulik, had already raised $1 million as of December 4, and $750,000 in the first three weeks of its public donations drive. The charity also took in $200,000 at its annual gala dinner and auction alone. All told, this year's donations surpassed last year's by $346,493. Donations come in the form of both financial contributions and the direct purchase of specific games and other products that hospitals have selected via Amazon wish lists. Since it began in 2003, Child's Play has raised more than $6.7 million in toys, games and cash donations for children's hospitals. This year, Child's Play was supported by corporate sponsors including Amazon, Microsoft, Harmonix, MTV, Sony Online Entertainment, Wizards of the Coast, PopCap, Ventrilo, Bioware, Ubisoft and RAD Game Tools. Charitable foundations including the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund and the Bohemian Foundation also gave grants. "Every year we think we've peaked, but each new year we get thousands of new gamers pitching in, coming up with their own events to raise funds," said foundation coordinator Kristin Lindsay in a statement. "At a time when most charities are struggling to get traditional donors to contribute, we've found that gamers are second to none in their willingness to donate their time and money to a worthy cause," she added.