Can I admit that I'm not that keen to give money to random US charities if I could support one closer to home instead?
 

I feel the same as spinksville.
Rift has a coming event with the same institution I'm sad to not take part in as the target audience seems USA specific.
It would be nice especially in MMOs if companies with a more international operating range would be chosen on the receiving end for charities.
 

@ Spinks If.


Seems like a pretty good cause and perhaps we Brits should arrange a similar event for Great Ormond Street or something.
 

I never, ever give to overseas charities.

We have enough problems of our own to sort out first, plus you can never be sure whether you're lining someone else's pockets, rather than the money going to where you want it to go.

I guess I like to think that with all the various controls in the UK, the charities here actually benefit from 100% of all money donated.
 

Anytime a company does a charity they tend to perform a cost to benefit analysis prior. No company that is successful just throws money away. If they did every time they made a donation their stock price would drop.

Companies either donate or run campaigns, for publicity, tax write-off, to show equal strength to competitors, or to present some company ideology to their consumer base that they believe will lead to increased or maintained sales. As such I think charity isn’t even the right word for what companies do, because it tends to imply giving selflessly.

Most charity organizations know this and work to make collaborations Win:Win. Just today I got an Ad to register for a Craft fair for United Way, they are asking for 20% of sales to be “donated” to register as a vendor. That means you can make some money for yourself and United Way. As a result the event will have much more participation than only a few vendors showing up that are willing donate both time and sellable goods. This is also strictly a hand-craft event. So it isn’t like they are trying to entice businesses, they are trying to entice people that make birdhouses as a hobby or make quilts.
 

I understand the feeling of wanting to give back to my own community. Which is why this event was something I could get my whole group behind.

I am actually the Captain of this team, and thank you for the blog post. If you click on each of the players (I know it is a pain), you will see the direct hospital in which the money that person raises goes to. We have hospitals all across the country and we have more of our group looking to sign up for the marathon to spread out the donations.

For instance, myself Stephany, am gaming for Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL. All the hospitals are part of the Children's Miracle Network, 100% goes to the kids and 100% is tax deductable.
 

I have the same feeling with this charity as I have with the indie bundles ones. The US is be more than able to provide free health-care for everyone, especially children. My country does so why would I have to send them money?
 

Forgive me for sounding like Gevlon but charity is a scam.

There is no such thing as giving cash out of generosity. At best, it's alms, "feel good" money that lets people tell themselves they're "good people", without really asking themselves what their role is in the big picture.

Charity has little power to make the world a better place. Only real political change can do that. And no, I don't have a picture of Che Guevara on my wall.

Legitimate and effective charities never need money, anyway. What they need is time, energy, connections, and warm bodies. $1 over the internet brings them no closer to that goal.

Finally, most so-called "charities" or "non-profits" are just fiefs for a pompous board of fat cats who cut themselves six-digit checks out of the donations for gracing the place with their glorious presence three hours a week. The non-profit world is basically one big scam.

Funding a game or other forms of entertainment this way? Gtfo. Have the courage to ask me for my money straight up and make your product good enough that I'm willing to give it to you.
 

Love your blog! We really need to spread awareness about charities and help our communities!

A great new charity that is upcoming is Extra-Life, which helps sick children around the country by engaging gamers and making giving fun.

Read more about it, or donate here:

http://www.8bitgamer.com/updates/8bitgamer-supports-extralife-charity/