The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Foundation today announced that it raised and will donate over $1.5 million in proceeds from its 2005 Charity Game Pack to organizations across the U.S. dedicated to helping children.
"We are pleased that this Game Pack was such a success, raising over $1.5 million for the ESA Foundation, which makes donations to organizations that work to preserve the health, safety and welfare of America's young people," said Doug Lowenstein, president of the ESA, the trade association representing U.S. computer and video games. “This represents a truly unprecedented effort by the video game industry, continuing and extending its commitment to helping America’s youth through the ESA Foundation.”
Proceeds from the Game Pack totaling over $1.5 million will be distributed to a variety of children’s charities. Past recipients have included: Web Wise Kids, a nonprofit organization committed to teaching children and their caregivers strategies for safe Internet use; Work, Achievement, Values and Education (WAVE), a national organization which works with students to curtail dropout rates and other problems associated with not completing school; and PAX's SPEAK UP youth violence prevention hotline and education campaign in at risk schools and communities nationwide. Proceeds raised will also go towards the production and distribution of 6,000 copies of HopeLabs Re-Mission cancer game, developed to educate children living with cancer about their disease, to 100 cancer camps around the country.
"From gamers to game makers, we’d like to thank all those involved in making this tremendous contribution possible and extend a special thank you to Sony Computer Entertainment America, THQ Inc., and Electronic Arts for so generously donating their games to our project,” Lowenstein continued.
The 2005 Charity Game Pack was a culmination of the work and efforts of various partners who donated services free of charge and/or waved associated monetary fees. The Pack was a multi-disc box which included three top-selling games for Play Station 2: ATV Offroad Fury 2 from Sony Computer Entertainment America; Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild from THQ; and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 from Electronic Arts. Suggested retail price was $19.95 and the Game Pack was sold at major retailers across the nation through the 2005 holiday season. In-kind contributions, which totaled approximately half a million dollars in services, were made by the following companies, listed in alphabetical order:
- American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
- Bombardier, Inc.
- CMB Design
- Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A
- Rainbow Studios
- Shorewood Packaging
ESA Foundation:
The ESA Foundation was created by the American interactive entertainment software industry to support and provide opportunities that can make a difference in the lives of America’s youth. The Foundation is fully supported by proceeds from "A Nite to Unite for Kids," its annual fund-raiser that has raised more than more than $6.7 million in the last six years. The Foundation provided grants to support: Boys and Girls Clubs of America; Delinquency Prevention Initiative - Year three, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Web Wise Kids, Just Think Foundation, YouthVision Challenge, Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) project, the expansion of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland Computer Learning Center, Starlight Starbright Foundation, PAX, Inc, Association of Hole in the Wall Camps and Work Achievement, Values and Education (WAVE). For more information, please visit http://www.theESA.com/foundation.
