Sh0wtig3r Returns for Second Fundraiser Supporting Accessibility
Sh0wtig3r Returns for Second Fundraiser Supporting Accessibility
We are happy to announce that Sh0wtig3r continues to support Dreamscape Foundation and our cause to make life easier and more accessible for people with disabilities.
Sh0wtig3r is Back with Support!
You might remember Brianna Ritchie, better known to her Twitch community as Sh0wtig3r. She hosted a charity stream for Dreamscape Foundation this past May! Ritchie has been doing great in the past few months since we spoke to her. According to our updates, “Since the last time we spoke I have received a promotion at my office job which is helping my boyfriend and I get closer to our goal of moving back home to Vermont in Summer of 2022.” Brianna explains.
Brianna’s Favorite Holiday Traditions
As she gets ready for her first Giving Season fundraiser with us, we asked about her favorite parts of the holidays: “Since I am the youngest in my family, I was always peeking around during the holidays to find where my parents hid the gifts. It was always a blast brainstorming with my older siblings on where the new hiding place was and if the parents would catch us. In the end we never found where the gifts were hidden, probably because my parents knew we were looking for them, but it was always a good time just laughing.” We here at Dreamscape are guilty of gift hunts as well!
Round Two for Accessibility
Our good friend Brianna excitedly accepted our call for action due to our previous work and our mission statement. She quoted “I love working with Dreamscape not only because of the passion of the staff but also because of the mission statement. Dreamscape goes above and beyond to do everything they can to help get their message across including making great bonds with content creators by working together for a great cause. I enjoyed working with Dreamscape in the beginning of 2021 and I am excited to be working with them again with hopefully more to come in the future!”
Dreamscape is counting down the days for our collaboration! Her cheerfulness and creativity are an inspiration to everyone she interacts with. One of Brianna’s favorite memories from her 1st charity stream with Dreamscape was having to draw a goatee using an eyeliner on her face, and wearing it for the remainder of the stream! She made this one of her higher incentives – and her community made sure that no matter what, she was going to look silly for charity.
This time around, she has a few returning ideas from her last charity stream, “…googly eyes and of course eyeliner facial hair, but I look forward to sharing some of my secrets that I have up my sleeve. We will be streaming for 12 hours on December 4th and it is going to be jam packed with fun!”
A Big Thank You To All
Sh0wtig3r concluded our interview with a heartfelt message: “I just want to thank everybody for taking the time out of their day to help support Dreamscape in any way that they can. With it being the holiday’s even if you cannot physically donate which is more than okay, spreading the word helps just as much!”
Together with Sh0wtig3r, we Invite you to watch our Charity Stream on Saturday December 4,2021 at 3PM to 3AM EST. We hope to see you there as we attempt to reach our $500 donation goal!
« PreviousCombatNursing Targets Accessibility for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
CombatNursing Targets Accessibility for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
One glance at Twitch streamer CombatNursing’s handle, and you can likely guess its origins. The name reflects her past experience as a combat medic for the Army as well as her civilian career as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse. However, this carefully chosen name means more to CombatNursing than just her resume. It also holds a deeply personal meaning to its owner.
“It’s about making sure that I always acknowledge where I came from,” she said. “The people who trained me, the people I worked with, my patients, they really taught me a lot… They can show you how to survive.”
As a NICU nurse, CombatNursing witnessed firsthand just how resilient humans can be, even in their earliest moments of life.
“Things that you wouldn’t expect a little tiny human like that to be able to handle, they handle it. Watching them leave the NICU, and then years down the line come back for a reunion really teaches you resilience; resilience as a person and an inner strength that you might not know you have. So it’s a very personal and very important tag for me.”
CombatNursing Promotes Awareness and Support for Individuals with Disabilities
Dreamscape Foundation’s mission to help improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities is one that hits close to home for CombatNursing. She knows firsthand the impact that physical disabilities and mental health struggles can have on day-to-day life, and she actively advocates for assistance and resources to help improve the lives of those who struggle with them.
“My father’s a Vietnam veteran and is also a disabled veteran,” she said. “He was wounded in combat. My husband was injured while serving in Iraq. He suffers from PTSD, but he also has injuries that made him disabled. So working with organizations that make it a point to highlight disabilities, and that work for accessibility for the disabled – that is a big part of what I feel is necessary. I love to do charities to raise awareness.”
In the past, CombatNursing conducted charity streams to support Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that not only addresses mental health impacts on soldiers, but also provides support for those who become physically disabled due to injuries sustained while on duty. It’s a cause she is passionate about supporting. However, when she heard about Dreamscape Foundation, she found it to be an opportunity to extend that mission beyond just service members.
“Wounded Warrior Project is the military side, but there’s also a need for the civilian side, and so I felt like [Dreamscape] would be a perfect fit.”
CombatNursing’s Week-long Charity Event Begins in November
CombatNursing’s charity event to support Dreamscape Foundation will be held from November 1 to November 5. She will stream each day from 9:00pm to 7:30am EST. During that time, she will be playing Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone. Her goal is to raise $1,200 for our organization.
“I would love to see if we could pass the $1,200 goal, but if not, it’s a worthy goal to go after,” she said. “Hopefully we have people from all over the world come out and show support.”
Those who tune in can use their donations to win prizes, as well as trigger incentives or on-stream antics. To tune in, simply go to CombatNursing’s Twitch channel during the appointed dates and time.
« PreviousNext »C.A.B.S. Autism: Inspiring Motivation-Led Growth
C.A.B.S. Autism: Inspiring Motivation-Led Growth
The World Health Organization reports an estimated one in every 160 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), though that number has the potential to be higher. Currently, the prevalence of ASD in low- and middle-income countries remains unknown.
However, what we do know is that ASD presents itself in a myriad of ways, and that presentation varies tremendously from one individual to another. This diversity – or spectrum – makes every case unique. That’s Why CABS Autism and Behavioral Specialists provide individualized consultations and therapy services, whether it’s from home, at school, in a clinical setting, or even a community environment.
CABS uses Applied Behavioral Analysis, or ABA, in their one-on-one therapy sessions with their clients. In these sessions, they tune into what motivates the individual they’re working with to inspire engagement. By focusing on their client’s interests, they encourage communication and enriching interaction.
“Our approach is very child-led by their motivation,” said CABS’ Outreach and Development Coordinator Wendy Craven. “It’s not what we plan and set to do for the day necessarily. We identify what’s motivating them, and we go with that.”
CABS’ programs serve ASD clients ranging from the age of two to 26. While they create individualized goals catered to each individual, all treatment plans focus on creating a long-term quality of life while fostering a love for learning.
Led by a director who is a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA), CABs prides itself on its strong foundation of qualifications and training. Each of their BCBAs possess an average of six years’ experience, and nearly half (43%) of their Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) are pursuing either their Master’s Degree or BCBA certification. That high level of talent is matched by its empathy and compassion.
“I always hear the staff supporting each other, helping each other or sharing ideas,” Craven said. “I hear the kids laughing and having fun. Nine times out of 10, our therapists typically will say the rewarding part of their jobs is who we work with. Seeing them learn and grow.”
CABs has locations and services available in Itasca, Illinois as well as two Georgia cities: Savannah and Rome.
ReAbility and the Necessity for Autism Resources Like CABS
CABs offers significant resources to those within the radius of their Illinois and Georgia locations. However, a medical study published in 2019 revealed sparse and uneven distribution of diagnostic resources for ASD within the U.S. The consequences of this leave many in need of services like CABS on lengthy waitlists or forces them to travel long distances to access the resources they need.
This challenge was brought to Dreamscape Foundation’s attention by Chris Myers, who is a parent of an autistic child. Together with him, we helped to create ReAbility, a search engine for individuals with disabilities that helps identify nearby resources, programs, and events based on their specific needs. While its reach is currently restricted to Tennessee, Dreamscape and Myers both aim to grow the website through partnerships with organizations like CABS in order to expand its usability across the U.S.
« PreviousNext »Dreamscape’s Mission Takes Shape at Hannibal YMCA
Dreamscape’s Mission Takes Shape at Hannibal YMCA
In 2018, Hannibal YMCA’s Group Fitness & Aquatics Coordinator reached out to Dreamscape Foundation seeking guidance and assistance on how to make their YMCA facility – and its programs – more accessible. The effort was inspired by one of their wheelchair-bound members, Audrey Pickett, who wanted to be more involved but was facing accessibility challenges at their facility.
Dreamscape Foundation immediately responded, and has since been providing advice on accessibility options and resources, as well as contributing funds to support the programs and equipment that would make accessibility possible.
The collaboration sparked a movement; one driven by Audrey’s determination to make the world more accessible for herself and others. She experienced firsthand how the fitness equipment and programs at the YMCA can improve her life, her personal strength, and her mobility.
Beyond that, she found a sense of community at the YMCA that accepted her, encouraged her, and offered opportunities to be involved with the organization. She wanted other individuals in her community with disabilities to have these same opportunities. Thus, Dreamscape Foundation remained in contact and continued to support her in these efforts.
Below is an update on her story.
From Student to Instructor: Audrey is an Invaluable Asset to the YMCA
In addition to her attending her physical training sessions, Audrey is now an instructor teaching Pound classes at the same YMCA that she helped evolve to accommodate accessibility needs. The class is a high energy cardio, conditioning, and strength training program that utilizes special drumsticks called “Ripstix.” The exercise uses these sticks to combine rhythmic beats with Pilates- and Yoga-inspired movements, and is easily modified to suit participant’s unique level of abilities.
“When I first started taking Pound two years ago, I didn’t ever think I was going to be teaching it,” Audrey confessed. “I didn’t even think I was going to last a class. But then I kept going back.”
When asked about how the last two years have impacted her, she said, “It’s made me a better person, and it’s made me stronger. I realized that I can do more than I thought I could do.”
Audrey has always enjoyed teaching and has desired to do so in some capacity. However, being a Pound instructor at the YMCA is an opportunity she never imagined would be a reality when this all began. She attributes her growth to both her dedicated practice and effort as well as the support of the people around her.
Beyond teaching, Audrey is also an active YMCA volunteer. Recently, she helped assemble food boxes for their USDA-funded food program called Meals On The Go. The program provides one week’s worth of food per box for youth ages 18 years and younger.
“I love this place,” Audrey said. “It’s my second home.”
Audrey continues to serve as a huge driver for accessibility at the YMCA. Her voice has led to several changes, including adapting the handicap restroom to be more accessible.
“Audrey mentioned that the stall was very tight, and she really couldn’t get in there, turn her chair and shut the door,” said Hannibal YMCA CEO Eric Abts. “And we appreciated that perspective. We moved on it pretty quickly, and got it switched over. Now it’s better for everyone.”
Looking forward, Audrey aspires to continue to grow, expanding her capabilities as a Pound instructor and possibly return to school to expand her education.
“I wanted to say we’re extremely thankful to Dreamscape Foundation for making this possible,” Eric said. “You guys have been wonderful. We’ve had this relationship with Dreamscape for well over a year now and it’s just been a blessing.”
« PreviousNext »Johan Yusof Reaches for the Stars in This 5-Day Charity Event
Johan Yusof Reaches for the Stars in This 5-Day Charity Event
Johan Yusof may have first graced the streaming community with his handsome voice and smooth dance moves in 2018, but when it comes to singing and dancing, he is a seasoned veteran. Yusof began performing on stage 21 years ago, planting his roots in theater before branching out as a Japanese pop (J-Pop) singer.
Before COVID-19, he could often be found performing at anime conventions across Malaysia and Singapore. However, the pandemic restricted live performances, spurring this multitalented artist to connect with his audience via a safer, digital venue: Twitch.
Johan Yusof Becomes a One Man Show on Stream
Like so many across the globe, COVID-19 had a significant impact on Yusof’s career and aspirations. As the world cocooned within the safety of their homes, he found himself pressed to find new avenues of income.
Thus, Yusof turned to Twitch, making it his new stage. He brings energy and entertainment as a one-man show on his channel, which consists of a mix of him dropping moves in Just Dance, playing video games, singing, doing impersonations, and even acting out dares posed by his viewers.
“I’m glad I had streaming to fall back onto,” Yusof confessed. “Even though it’s not very easy, I’m glad that at the very least, this is something that I could do at home and be able to make the best out of it.”
Although singing is his self-proclaimed first love, dancing also holds a special place for Yusof. His mother was a professional dancer whose career had her performing at festivals, on stage and even on television. Now that she is retired, he feels the need to take up the baton.
“Part of the reason I’m dancing a lot on stream is because I want to continue carrying on my mom’s legacy as a dancer,” he said.
For those who have never tuned into Yusof’s streams, they’re like a party with an open invitation. He dances in a room illuminated by colorful lights, and engages with an active chat in between songs and requests. The experience is, in many ways, more intimate than the concerts and shows he put on previously. It offers a two-way street that allows viewers to become a part of the experience rather than simply observing it.
“I enjoy connecting with people from all different walks of life, to have that kind of interaction, to be able to chat with a lot of people, and to get to know them,” he said. “Putting on a show at the same time is something I find something very, very, valuable to me. It’s something that I really enjoy and really cherish.”
To him, it’s not just about performing but making his viewers feel happy.
Johan Yusof’s “Five Days of Fireworks” Takes Flight in July
When Yusof first received the invitation to do a fundraiser for Dreamscape Foundation, he felt the need to dig deeper into the non-profit’s mission and the ways it uses its funds to help others. The more he learned about our mission, the more he felt compelled to support it.
“Dreamscape’s MO [modus operandi] is basically to help out those within the disabled community, and I feel that what I do streaming, or gaming, or even dancing or singing for that matter, is for everyone to be able to enjoy whether they able-bodied or not,” he said. “And if there are ways for the disabled community to do what they love to do, what they want to do, and what they’re passionate about doing, without having to be forced to conform to any sort of limitations, I would love to help them out in any possible way.”
That help will be taking the form of a multi-day fundraising event called “Five Days of Fireworks.” Scheduled to take place from July 1 to July 5, the schedule is as follows:
- Thursday, July 1, 2021:
- Just Dance 2021 (9AM – 1PM EST)
- Friday, July 2, 2021:
- Karaoke JOYSOUND for Nintendo Switch (9AM – 1PM EST)
- Just Dance 2021 (9PM – 1AM EST)
- Saturday, July 3, 2021:
- Either Mario Kart 8 Deluxe / Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (9AM – 1PM EST)
- Sunday, July 4, 2021:
- Just Dance 2021 (9AM – 1PM EST)
- Monday, July 5, 2021:
- Just Dance 2021 (9AM – 1PM EST)
To participate in this event, tune into Yusof’s Twitch channel, and donate by visiting the Tiltify Campaign.
« PreviousNext »VoidedMods Invite You to Join Family Game Night
VoidedMods Invite You to Join Family Game Night
Freckles and Farce, GranDaddySkulls, Legend of Layne, and ItsAMeWolfie were once moderators (aka “mods”) for the same Twitch streamer. During that time, they found chemistry and friendship beyond taming the Wild West that is a streamer’s live chat. But in 2020, those duties came to an abrupt end.
“Recently, the person we had been modding for decided to step away from Twitch and continue on their own path, and we looked at each other and went, ‘Well, we can’t just stop. We love this.’ So we decided to start our own stream,” Skulls explained.
The departure of the streamer they modded for triggered the birth of their own streaming channel on Twitch called VoidedMods.
The Streaming Quartet and Their Community
The streaming quartet may share a history as moderators, but each of them has their own personality.
Freckles “brings the weird” to their streams and community. She’s known for dropping random facts and bringing humor and levity to the conversation.
Layne delivers “high BS energy” and keeps the conversation flowing.
Skulls feeds off of Freckles’ humor, expanding on the inevitable odd fact and fueling the banter within the conversation. They are also the one that “goes after the money”, meaning they encourage opportunities for monetization within the stream to help fund the VoidedMods channel.
Wolfie, by contrast, is the grounded one. He serves as the anchor that brings this high-energy, fun-loving group back down to Earth.
Together, they create an atmosphere that draws in a diverse and inclusive community that is as much a part of the VoidedMods stream as the streamers themselves.
“I would consider us variety streamers, as we play a different game every time. But as a Twitch stream, I would say we’re very community based,” Layne said. “Everything we do, all the decisions we make, and the games that we play [are] for the people on our Discord server. It’s all based on what we hear from them.”
When VoidedMods aren’t engaging their viewers live on stream, they’re actively communicating and hanging out with them in their Discord server, The Lost Void, where they hold all kinds of activities, including movie nights and open mic nights.
VoidedMods Takes Pride in Creating an Inclusive Environment
One of the biggest things VoidedMods prides themselves on is the inclusiveness of their community. All of them are members of the LGBTQ+ community, and they actively speak out on their desire to create a place where people feel welcome and safe.
Periodically during their stream, viewers will see a message that says, “On this stream we, the VoidedMods, believe that black lives matter, black trans lives matter, women’s rights are human rights, we condemn anti-Asian violence and hate, we support the rights of disabled people, and we embrace the entire rainbow of the LGBTQ+. If you do not align with these beliefs, you are free to leave but please leave in peace.”
It’s this kind of message and motivation to create an inclusive environment that inspired them to support Dreamscape Foundations mission to bridge the accessibility gap.
“[Dreamscape Foundation] really goes along with our usual ‘charity wants,’” Skulls said. “We want equality, we want people to feel welcomed, and we want people to have the world to be accessible to them… We want people to come into our community and feel like they have equal rights and equal love and equal attention. A charity like this meshes so well with what we’re trying to put together for our own community.”
Join in on the Fun and Games in VoidedMods’ Charity Stream
On June 26, 2021, VoidedMods will put on a charity stream that aims to raise $600 for Dreamscape Foundation. The theme is Family Game Night.
“I kind of came up with this concept because we’ve always seen ourselves as a family,” Freckles said. “We’re going to be doing different games that are common for families to play [like] Monopoly and Uno. We might throw in Scribble It! because it’s kind of like Pictionary.”
Want to be a part of this fun-filled Family Game Night? You can tune in from anywhere. The charity stream will begin at 2:30pm EST on their Twitch channel and is scheduled to last for at least six hours.
« PreviousNext »Drop Into MrsGothicc’s Fall Guys Charity Stream on May 16, 2021
Drop Into MrsGothicc’s Fall Guys Charity Stream on May 16, 2021
MrsGothicc’s Twitch handle may sound a little dark, but don’t let the name fool you. This non-profit streamer designed her channel with a bright mission in mind: to raise funds for charities. Dreamscape Foundation will be the beneficiary of her efforts in May as she launches a charity stream with a target goal of raising $500 for our mission.
MrsGothicc’s Humble Beginnings as a Gamer and a Streamer
MrsGothicc’s first console was a Nintendo 64, where she played classic titles like Donkey Kong 64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Super Mario 64. Back then, gaming was a casual hobby that she engaged in off and on. However, when she bought an Xbox 360 to entertain herself in between her studies in college, it leveled up her love for gaming. She attributes this renewed passion to a game called Bioshock. It quickly became her favorite, sparking a long-term love affair with the franchise.
MrsGothicc entered into the streaming world in early 2020 as a way for her and her husband to have fun together during the global pandemic. With the world on lockdown, it became their shared hobby. The pair began with a simple setup, streaming directly from their Xbox One consoles to Microsoft’s now-retired platform, Mixer.
Through this experience, she quickly discovered that streaming wasn’t just about watching people play video games. It was about community, and the connections people formed over it.
“Meeting people through streaming is one of the biggest saving graces over the last year,” she said.
Using Her Streaming Channel as a Vehicle for Charity
After Mixer closed, MrsGothicc moved her channel over to Twitch where the vision and purpose for her channel began to take form.
“When I started to get into [streaming] more, I saw it as an opportunity to help people,” she said.
Prior to the pandemic, MrsGothicc actively volunteered with her local Ronald McDonald House Charity chapter, which helped to provide medical care and assistance to sick children and their families. However, health-related restrictions due to the pandemic put those effort on pause. Thus, she turned to streaming as a new avenue for giving back.
She set out to gain affiliation with Twitch in order to use her channel as a vehicle to raise funds for charity. Her goal was to upgrade her equipment and become a Twitch affiliate over the span of a year, but it happened much quicker. By December 2020, she achieved her objective.
Now she is a part of Sidequest, a team with more than 60 members ranging from newly affiliated streamers to seasoned streaming veterans. They conduct multiple charity events each month, both as a group and through individual efforts.
“It’s important to be a good ally – having a community that not only cares and supports others but also tries to do what they can to help those in need. Be the love and light we need in the world because that is what will make a difference.”
Join MrsGothicc on May 16 at 1:00PM EST to Raise Funds for Dreamscape Foundation
MrsGothicc will be holding a Fall Guys-themed charity stream benefitting Dreamscape Foundation’s mission on May 16, 2021. This 6-hour stream-a-thon will include multiple ways for you to earn prizes and interact with her via your donations:
- Donate $5: Receive a charity garland ring and Fall Guys sticker
- Donate $10: Choose the spice level for the “Spicy Bean Boozled” dare
- Donate $20: Choose a way to hinder MrsGothicc’s Fall Guys gameplay for 5 minutes by:
- Making her wear starry eye goggles
- Preventing her from swearing
- Make her play the game with her controller held upside-down
- Donate $50: Make her purposely lose the match by:
- Jumping off the map
- Standing still while others try to complete the map around her
The goal is to raise $500 for Dreamscape Foundation’s mission. Rewards for MrsGothicc’s community for achieving – or exceeding – these goals include a Dr. Thiccrespect E-Sport Stream (at $500 raised) or a stream where she cosplays as JarJar Blinks while playing Star Wars games (if $1,000 is raised).
To participate, tune into MrsGothicc’s Twitch channel Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 1:00PM EST.
« PreviousNext »Shellieface to Host Dreamscape’s next Charity Stream!
Shellieface to Host Dreamscape’s next Charity Stream!
Move over Baby Shark, there is a new family in town! Meet Shellieface, Papaface, Mamaface and Sisterface. This close-knit family is taking the Twitch community by storm and winning over the hearts of followers. Shellieface, legally known as Michelle Saliba, never thought her cute, but silly nickname would make the impact it has today. “Everything in the community now is Teamface. When I play Animal Crossing my island is called Islandface, or whenever we name characters it’s Somethingface and it’s like a huge joke,” she explained. “Even my parents joined Twitch and their handles are Papafacesays and Mamafacesays. It’s like a brand now.”
A Family Affair
With Shellie’s family being so supportive, not to mention involved in her streaming, you might be surprised to learn that she was not the first one to join the platform. “My sister joined Twitch first and has her own little handle, but we joke that she’s my number one hype woman,” Saliba laughed. “She’s the Michelle Obama to my Barack Obama.” The family support doesn’t end there. Michelle’s support also includes her brother-in-law, cousins and even her aunt. “I’m like this is so amazing that the family is getting involved,” she shared. “I love it.”Shining the Light
“Mental health is something that I think has been kind of underrated and under looked at. It’s so sad to see that not many people give it the foundation and the attention that it needs to keep us happy, moving and growing,” Shellieface explained. “I like to promote something where, you know, people can have their own light at the end of the tunnel.” The streamer shares multiple different options with her community, including one she uses herself called TalkSpace. With the added impact of the pandemic, as well as having a background in Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Saliba made discussing the topic of Mental Health Awareness a priority within her community.Making a Difference the Michelle Way
Michelle has always felt a calling to help people, but because she holds onto what other people share she knew being a counselor was never an option. Then, she was introduced to life coaching. “I’m actually looking at applying to programs now to become a life coach,” she shared. “I want to integrate that into my channel, so that I am available to help people in my own safe capacity where it’s not detrimental to myself. I can still assess people and help them get where they need to go in their comfort zone.”Shellie the ASMRtist
Sharing resources and life coaching are not the only ways Shellieface provides comfort to her community. “ASMR, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is essentially a tingling sensation that you can get, it’s just kind of like a reflexive response to a particular sound,” the streamer informed. “How it’s done is you turn the gain up on the microphone, speak in a very soft voice or sometimes not at all, and you just kind of do repetitive, gentle sounds that normally could be considered annoying, but when it’s done correctly is very soothing.” For anyone unfamiliar with ASMR, compare it to playing a white noise machine at night because it helps you sleep.Friday Night Fun!
This Friday, May 7, join Dreamscape Foundation and Shellieface in raising money to provide accessibility for individuals living with disabilities during our charity stream event starting at 8 pm EST. “The most important aspect of [the stream] is the awareness and the knowledge,” Michelle explained. “Knowledge to me is exceptionally powerful because then people can research it more, ask how can I make this better, and it only takes a handful of people to look further into that foundation to help. That’s what promotes the change.” « PreviousNext »Glinda Who? The Charity Witch on Twitch is Here To Make Magic!
Glinda Who? The Charity Witch on Twitch is Here To Make Magic!
A parent’s job is never done; an old, yet timeless, saying. Growing up is full of valuable life lessons we learn from our parents. Not only is a parent a child’s first teacher, but in many ways also their last. Voice actor, charity streamer and cosplayer Tiffany Witcher credits her mother for molding her into the woman she is today. “She told me when I was very young that the moment you let someone’s negativity encourage you and you give up is the moment you fail,” Witcher shared. “She said you should never give up on something you want.” Myra, Tiffany’s mother, wanted her daughter to follow her passions regardless of her disability or anything else, and what better way than to share her own.
A Mother’s Influence
“We did this thing together called Pets on Wheels, where you take your dogs to places for people who are disabled, to hospitals and retirement homes, and things like that. You take your pets, and they basically get to touch a dog and be closer to an animal that they unfortunately don’t have the opportunity to be close to,” the voice actor explained. “At the time, I was very young, so I would just kind of just be off in the corner while she did her work, but as an adult I see like all the stuff that she’s done for so many amazing people and touched on so many people’s hearts.” Like many of us, Tiffany did not fully understand what her mother was doing until much later in her life, but when she did it changed her forever.The Greatest Good Is What We Do For One Another
On April 11, 2017, Tiffany lost her mother due to Lupus, a disease that she shared with her mother. It wasn’t until Myra’s funeral that she really understood just how many people her mother touched. “She was a teacher, but she not only impacted students, she impacted people,” the charity streamer described. “There was someone that came from Pets on Wheels, and Girl Scouts came that she watched after when they were kids, who are now adults. It was just an amazing realization to see like so many people there celebrating her life just really touched me, honestly.”Continuing The Legacy
As Tiffany continued coping with the death of her mother, she found herself going through some of her mom’s old things. Unbeknown to her, she found out that her mother was also active in charities. “I was like, man, she did so much for other people and gave so much of her time, so other people could have better. I want to do the same thing,” Witcher recalled. “At first it started out with charity tables I would set up at conventions for the Lupus Foundation, and educate about lupus because that’s the disease that I have and of course the disease that took my mother.”“You do charity just because you just want to do some good and not get anything in return.” – Tiffany Witcher
During this time, Tiffany was already an active streamer on Twitch who openly talked about accessibility and chronic illness on her channel. Wanting to do more on the platform, she decided to do a charity stream to raise money for the Lupus Foundation. Once she discovered the potential of charity streaming, the Lupus Witch, also known as the Charity Witch on Twitch, was born. “I stopped doing the tables, and really started to dig into streaming to the point where I made a personal goal to do three charities a month, expect for the Month of May because that’s Lupus Awareness Month,” the Charity Witch on Twitch shared. “My anniversary is going to be in May; I started charity streaming May 2019, so my two-year anniversary is coming up.This Is Just The Beginning
Two years down and forever to go. In just two years, Tiffany has become an active member of six amazing stream teams, raised over $26,000 for charities, and was featured on the front page of Twitch for Black History Month and will be featured for Global Accessibility Awareness Day. The Lupus Witch has accomplished so much in such a short period of time, and has big goals for the future. “I want to get partnered, so I can make a charity stream team of Vtubers from all different backgrounds, and come together to have Vtubing charity streams every month,” she explained. “It’s something that I really have been pushing towards these last couple months.”Accessibility Advocate
Talking about mental health and physical health is an important part of being a charity streamer, but for Tiffany Witcher it is personal. “Another reason why I talk about a lot of chronic illnesses and accessibility in games is because I notice things for myself that need to be changed on the platform. I suffer from Lupus, Epilepsy, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjogren Syndrome,” she informed. “There’s so much that needs to be fought for on Twitch whether it’s the trans tag, warning tags, or just the safety and well-being of the viewers and the streamer.”Join Us For A Wicked Good Time
Dreamscape is bewitched to announce that we are partnering with the Charity Witch on Twitch herself, Tiffany Witcher, for a 12-hour charity stream this Saturday, May 1, starting at 7:30 am EST to provide accessibility for those living with disabilities. “I’m doing this in memory of a woman that did this basically as long as I knew her as a kid,” the Charity Witch opened up. “I’m doing this in her memory, fighting for her honor, and I know what I am doing is right. I know that deep down in my heart.” Prepare for fun, laughs, games and a few surprises from the witch herself. « PreviousNext »FOXDIE Gets Hardcore During His Two-Day Charity Stream with Dreamscape Foundation
FOXDIE Gets Hardcore During His Two-Day Charity Stream with Dreamscape Foundation
Imagine a life full of travel, adventure, freedom and treasure. Sounds good, doesn’t it? As Captain Jack Sparrow put it, “always be yourself, unless you can be a pirate. Then, always be a pirate.” For the last three years, Jake Cooper, better known as Foxdle, has gotten to experience the pirate lifestyle thanks to the video game, Sea of Thieves. “People love piracy; people love the sea, sailing, that freedom,” Cooper shared. “I think that is why I really enjoy the game is the freedom.” Foxdle’s love for Sea of Thieves got him recognized by the game’s developer, Rare, and he became an official partner of the game.