Dreamscape Foundation Collaborates with SAGE on an Annual Giving Event
Dreamscape Foundation Collaborates with SAGE on an Annual Giving Event
Sonic Amateur Games Expo (SAGE) is both a fan-game showcase and a fundraising event to benefit Child’s Play, an organization that provides toys and games to children in hospitals, clinics, and domestic violence shelters. Your first thought may be, “But this doesn’t directly correlate with Dreamscape Foundation’s mission to bridge the accessibility gap for individuals with disabilities.” And it’s true.
However, there are times like Fund the Computer Room in 2014 when we see an opportunity to lend our expertise toward another cause. While SAGE excels at gaming and game development, they struggled to market the charitable side of their expo event. It’s a skill gap that we knew we could help fill. Over the years, Dreamscape Foundation has found a way to successfully market and fundraise digital charity events within the gaming community. When SAGE’s need came to our attention, we saw an opportunity to help out a new community; one that is connected to our affiliate channel (Hotline Sehwani), and that we would like to be a part of.
By marketing this event on SAGE’s behalf, we’re supporting charitable efforts that improve the lives of struggling children and families, and we would like you to help us do so. We sat down with two of the individuals helping to coordinate SAGE 2021 (Pedro and Rummy) to give our community insight into what this event is and why it’s raising funds for Child’s Play. Read on to learn more about this event, and consider tuning in for a good cause.
What is SAGE, exactly?
To understand SAGE, you must first understand the Sonic Fan Games HQ website. It’s an online community designed by Ryan Langley during a period dubbed “the Sonic drought.” Sonic developers weren’t releasing new installments and the latest upcoming title at the time (Sonic X-treme) had been cancelled. Sonic Fan Games HQ was created by fans who took it upon themselves to develop Sonic games as a hobby. Essentially, they kept the story going while honing and showcasing their developing talents with a community that appreciated them.
The website formed a tightly knit community.
“I came to appreciate the effort and love the people [invest in these projects] to express themselves and their love for video games,” Rummy said.
Next came SAGE, a now-20-year-old annual expo created by Ryan Bloom. In the beginning, it gave fan-game developers on Sonic Fan Games HQ a reason to set a hard deadline for their creations. Participants would showcase their projects on the website, share their progress, and then feature the final results at the EXPO each year.
Through the years, the event grew to take on a life of its own.
“With so many people waiting for it and wanting to be a part of the event, it’s incredibly hard not to be motivated,” Pedro said. “SAGE has grown a lot over the years, but the goal remains the same throughout these two decades: providing a free and welcoming place for developers, big or small, to share their works and get feedback, start careers, or even just have an amazing outlet for their hobby and get involved with the community.”
The event’s immense popularity inspired its hosts to tack on a charitable twist. They began using the event and its visibility to raise funds for Child’s Play, a non-profit that provides toys and games to children in hospitals as a means to help lift their spirits.
“At the time SAGE was starting to get a lot of attention online with tens of thousands of people showing up just to check out the games,” Pedro said. “Supporting a charity just felt like the next logical step. I think the decision of working with Child’s Play came from the video-game theme behind it, which goes well in line with SAGE and game development.”
“I see Child’s Play as a good partner thanks to their focus on giving children both a way to care for them medically and maturing their creative hearts,” Rummy added.
About the SAGE Event
SAGE starts on August 21 and continues until August 27. The event is entirely virtual. To participate, you can tune into the Sage Expo website during the event dates.
Over the course of the week, the event will feature a variety of Sonic-themed indie and fan projects as well as livestreams hosted by some of the most entertaining content creators around. You will also be able to download some of the games from the expo website, interact with the community at large and engage developers via the event’s Discord server.
How You Can Donate to Child’s Play During the Event
Recently, we introduced Dreamscape’s affiliate YouTube channel Hotline Sehwani. The channel has partnered with fellow YouTubers KOMII and JaydenXV for this event. All three channels will serve as virtual billboards for SAGE’s event and use their donation buttons as avenue’s to give to Child’s Play during the event.
To find this donation button, simply click on hyperlinks listed above and select the most recent video uploaded to these channels between August 20 and August 28. The donation button will be easy to spot! As always, we thank our community for its willingness not only to support our cause but to help support others when the need arises.
« PreviousNext »YouTube Channel Hotline Sehwani Helps Drive Dreamscape Foundation’s Mission
YouTube Channel Hotline Sehwani Helps Drive Dreamscape Foundation’s Mission
Hotline Sehwani is a YouTube channel with more than 15,000 subscribers. It features video-game-themed LoFi remixes that set the tune (and mood) for work, studying, gaming, or chilling out. But what exactly does that have to do with Dreamscape Foundation – and how does it impact its mission?
Part of the link lies within the name. Hotline Sehwani (Follow on Twitter @HotlineSehwani) is a project started by Dreamscape Foundation founder Joe Sehwani during the “lost year” known as 2020. While the connection between this creative platform and the non-profit may not seem apparent at first glance, a common thread runs through them both; a thread that reaches back to the very start – and the very heart – of Dreamscape Foundation.
Dreamscape Foundation’s Began with the Help of Sehwani’s Art
Sehwani was sixteen when he began to lose his sight. The onset of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, or LHON, was sudden, its impact swift. He went from possessing 20/20 vision to completely losing his central vision. Yet somewhere amidst grappling with this new reality, Sehwani set a goal that would become Dreamscape Foundation’s primary mission (bridging the accessibility gap), and he was determined to do so in a creative way.
Before his central vision faded completely, he created an Indigogo campaign called the Dream 10 Program, which raised $5,410 to help him kickstart Dreamscape Foundation by creating artwork for donors who purchased specific donation packages.
“At the time my mindset was, ‘I’m losing my eyesight. I don’t know if I will continue to do [art], so at least I can do something good out of it and then step into my career in a nonprofit life,” he said.
Over the years, Sehwani continued to find creative, and unorthodox, ways to raise funds for the non-profit. Much of those efforts exist in the digital space, such as eBay sales, affiliate marketing, pay-per-click campaigns, charity streams, and non-profit benefits through e-commerce activities such as Humble Bundle and Amazon purchases.
“I feel that he one of our biggest differentiating factors is how we’re uniquely fundraising,” Sehwani explains. “We have a very grassroots and unorthodox way to fundraise, but, in the end, it’s always going to be for a good cause.”
By tapping into avenues and opportunities that connected with everyday activities, such as online shopping and watching livestreams, Sehwani was able to consistently raise funds while finding opportunities to bring awareness of Dreamscape Foundation and its very niche mission to a wide audience. It’s a meet-people-where-they-are approach rather than trying to lure an audience to come to them.
“It’s difficult for a nonprofit, to really go viral on social media,” Sehwani said. “People follow and like these organizations because they like what they do and it’s nice to kind of see some positivity here and there. But nobody is picking up their phone and going, ‘I wonder what’s new in the American Red Cross world today?’ I wish I wish that was the case, but it’s just just how it is.”
Hotline Sehwani’s Affiliation to Dreamscape Foundation
So how exactly does Hotline Sehwani play into all of this? The YouTube channel began as a pandemic hobby where Sehwani reconnected with his creative talent. In collaboration with others, he produced multiple videos featuring animated Sonic artwork and original LoFi music. He then used his keen talent for digital advertising and marketing to grow the channel’s exposure and audience.
As his viewers and follower count swelled into the thousands, Sehwani began to realize that this was more than just a hobby. Hotline Sehwani could be used as a platform to help fund and grow Dreamscape Foundation’s mission, too. Through monetization, his YouTube content earns money through views, clicks, and ads. Additionally, the YouTube Giving program lets him create campaigns on behalf of the non-profit. The campaign would appear beside the videos on his channel where viewers can read about the organization’s mission and donate if they feel compelled.
As Hotline Sehwani’s music spread to other platforms like Spotify, it opened up additional opportunities for monetization. Every view, every listen turned into drops of income, and as the volume swelled so did the flow of funds. Thus, he decided to use those proceeds to support his non-profit. All of the proceeds from Hotline Sehwani support Dreamscape Foundation, and its efforts to make the world more accessible for those with visual, and other, disabilities.
“If you’re listening to these tracks, if you’re sharing them, if you’re adding them to your playlist, if you’re putting on in the background to work, you are raising money for their organization, in some way, shape, or form,” Sehwani said.
In a way, it’s a return to Dreamscape Foundation’s origins. The non-profit began with Sehwani selling his own artwork in order to raise enough money to start the non-profit. Now, several years later, he has found a way to create a form of art once again, and it’s become yet another vehicle to drive the organization’s mission.
« PreviousNext »There’s a Tidal Wave Incoming for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
There’s a Tidal Wave Incoming for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
Get ready to be swept out to sea when team Tidal Esports takes over Dreamscape Foundation’s next charity stream. Coming in strong to end our Season of Giving events, this Saturday beginning at 1pm (EST), team Tidal will be kicking off their 12+ hour charity stream. Itching to get things started, the 3 members will be working to raise funds to support Dreamscape’s adopted families. With a variety of games, prizes and different streamers taking over, this is one event you don’t want to miss…Especially with the surprise grand prize they have in store for 3 lucky winners! But before we get into that, let’s meet the team.
Abide the Tide
Not just your typical gamers Tyger, Gidjete, Basic Tyez and the rest of their team take things to a whole new level. Brought together by shared passions for gaming and competition the Tidal Esports organization competes in a variety of games and tournaments. Ranging from Overwatch and Call of Duty, to games like Apex, Smash and Gears they do it all! With Saturday’s event in their sights, the team is excited to be able to use Twitch and gaming to help give back to people in need. Adding to the hype, they know their community will have a blast with the lineup of games and activities they have planned. Letting viewers vote on themes and in game players, they will be having a little fun with Minecraft speed runs and creative build offs, various matches and mini games from Call of Duty: MW, Overwatch and some classic mini games like Monopoly and Uno! Whether you plan on donating or just enjoying the stream, all are welcome to tune in and check it out.The Need to Know
Not 8…Not 10… but 12 full hours of nonstop streaming will be going down this Saturday December 21st from 1pm-1am (EST). Aside from the games above, team Tidal has a lot more in store. All donors will be rewarded with an assortment of prizes and gear, with the addition of a lucky few walking away with Tidal’s surprise GRAND PRIZE. Teaming up with their sponsor’s Tzar Apparel, the group created limited edition Tidal Esports – Dreamscape charity stream gaming jerseys which they will be raffling off to 3 lucky viewers! Also up for grabs are 2 Amazon gift cards valued at $50 and $100. But for the complete prize chart, please see the donation tier breakdown below: (Please note all prizes ship US only)
- Tier 1 – $5:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Raffle entry to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 2 – $10:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 3 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 3 – $20:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 4 – $50:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Pair of Creeper Gamer Glasses
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 2 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 5 – $100:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Pair of Creeper Gamer Glasses
- 1 Mystery Funko Pop
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 6 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 6 – $250:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Pair of Creeper Gamer Glasses
- 1 Mystery Funko Pop
- 1 Genji Styled Hooded Sweatshirt
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 10 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- A featured article on the Dreamscape Foundation Blog Page
ThePhatBandit’s Month-Long Charity Stream Marathon
ThePhatBandit’s Month-Long Charity Stream Marathon
Erick, also known as ThePhatBandit to his Twitch community, is teaming up with the Dreamscape Foundation for a Charity Stream event like never before. Erick first got into streaming on Twitch through his longtime hobby of gaming. As a regular gamer, he found out about Twitch and started watching other streamers and personalities. After a while, he realized he had the resources to create a channel of his own, so why not? To him, it was more of a way to play games with his friends and connect with a broader community. His only goal was to have fun, make people laugh, and make even more friends.
An Open Community that Became Family
ThePhatBandit Twitch Channel is open to everyone looking to have a good time and interact with new people. Whether you are a longtime viewer or just checking it out for the first time, he is quick to invite you to join in and play along with him online. Erick strives just to be himself and network with people around the world he would never have met otherwise. Aside from just playing games, he is very vocal with his community. They talk a lot and consider it like therapy, talking about good days, bad days, whatever, and just hashing things out. When I asked him what he enjoyed most about streaming, he replied, “The comradely and the relationships we built just through our community and other streamers’ communities.” He went on to explain people had tuned in to watch the stream, never knowing them before, and eventually became friends he talks to daily. To Erick, Twitch is a place for people to have fun, play the games they love, and make new friends that’ll last a lifetime.Familiar Territory
Cut from the same cloth, he has been a longtime believer in charity work and helping those in need. So much so, his full-time job is with a nonprofit organization we are proud to call a neighbor here in Naples, FL. The Friends of Foster Children Forever is an organization dedicated to fulfilling the needs of every child who enters or is at-risk of entering the foster care system throughout Collier County. Their primary focus for the children is to help them reach their full potential in life through education and enrichment opportunities, as well as simply enjoying being a kid. One of Erick’s favorite outreach events was when they took a large group of 40+ to a theme park. He remembers the look of pure happiness on each of their faces. Not because it was just another enjoyable day to a group of kids, but he knew for some it was their first time at a theme park and for others, their first time leaving their home town. Erick loves what he does and is excited to be able to combine his passion with his channel as a way to give back and help even more people.The When, What & Why?
Now, as I mentioned, this is a charity stream event like never before for Dreamscape! You may be wondering what is so different this time around? Well, ThePhatBandit has decided to step things up a bit! Rather than streaming for a day or 2, he will be turning this charity stream into a month-long Marathon Event!! Beginning on November 15th and ending on December 15th, Erick will be raising funds to help with our holiday efforts. All proceeds will be used to support various children and families in need throughout the Holiday Season. From adopting families to donating to shelters and foster homes alike. As always, we will be giving thanks to our generous supporters with thank you gifts and entries into our raffle drawings. The awards will be on a tier-based system, ranging from t-shirts and steam keys to Funko Pops and your favorite Call of Duty collectible character figures. Not stopping there, we will send a couple of lucky winners away with our raffle prizes of various Amazon gift cards, with the grand prize being $100! See our prize chart here:
All donations are welcome and beyond appreciated, but are never required! Erick encourages everyone to join in, no matter his or her ability to support. His community is a place for everyone to have fun and join in on the games and conversations. He will be playing various video games, including the new Call of Duty Modern Warfare! Additionally, he will be opening up several discussions around the charity, which we are supporting, and give you his honest thoughts on the matter. As Erick mentioned during his interview, “there is always a way to help out, even if it’s just educating and informing people on a need.”
To keep up with Erick and join in his community, we encourage everyone to follow his Twitch Channel, Twitter, Instagram, and to check out his organization, The Friends of Foster Children Forever!
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The Game Docs Take on Dreamscape’s next Charity Stream
The Game Docs Take on Dreamscape’s next Charity Stream
Bryan and Tom are two longtime friends, who share a love for gaming. In college, they used to get together on the daily and play various games, in some cases up to 5-6 hours a day! The way they put it, to say the least, they were addicted! Super Smash Bros was always their go-to game while in school. But Bryan is the big Nintendo fan of the group. Today, he has been focusing much of his time to Smash Ultimate but in the past played a lot of Pokemon, which was always a favorite. While Tom, on the other hand, loves them all! However, Tom’s favorite game hands down is Overwatch. He also plays Rocket League, Subnautica and other indie games such as Rime on stream.
The Early Days of Youtube and Twitch
While attending college at Seton Hall University, before Bryan and Tom took the Game Docs name, Tom went to Italy for a study abroad program. While he was there, since he didn’t have his daily fix of gaming, he went to Youtube and started watching Youtube channels dedicated to gaming. After watching for a while, he had an idea and thought to himself “I could do this”. Then started thinking of who could join him and after a phone call to his friend Bryan, he knew he found his partner. Thus, the Game Docs Youtube Channel was born! In 2017, after about 2 years of consistently adding new content to their channel, Bryan began pushing the pair towards Twitch. They decided it would be best to ease their way into the transition. So, little by little, they started phasing out their content on Youtube and increased their time streaming on Twitch. Today, they focus almost entirely on Twitch, except for adding some highlight footage to their old Youtube Channel.The Game Docs and Charity Streams
Tom and Bryan have always been up for helping out those in need. Before they became the Game Docs, they did their first few events for Extra Life. Extra Life helps bring thousands of gamers worldwide together, to help support their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Once the Game Docs were founded, they completed their first official stream for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Overall, in a 3-year time frame, they raised $3,000 for Extra Life and over $1,500 for St. Jude’s. An incredibly generous gesture for kids of that age. Additionally, this isn’t their first time working with the Dreamscape Foundation. Our founder, Joseph Sehwani, also attended Seton Hall University and met them first as friends. Sehwani used to join them on occasion to play some video games or just hang out. Dreamscape Foundation, being in its early days, was eager to start doing some fundraising events and partnered with the two for its first Charity Stream events. Both the Dreamscape Foundation and the Game Docs are excited to bring it back to the beginning again on Saturday, April 20th, with a much higher goal of $600 in mind! But overall, the main focus as always is to make sure everyone has fun and enjoys themselves!Where are the Funds Going?
This time around, the Dreamscape Foundation is looking to help Audrey Pickett. Audrey is a local and dedicated member of the Hannibal YMCA in Missouri, who has lived her entire life in a wheelchair. She has been attending personal training sessions at the YMCA for about 6 months now and has seen a tremendous improvement to her physical and mental strength! The biggest benefit besides just gaining some muscle in her upper body and “toning up for bikini season” as she likes to joke, is she can stand noticeably longer when she has the opportunity to stand out of her chair. This was a major motivator for Audrey and it made her want to continue with her training at the YMCA. Our campaign is going to help her pay for additional training sessions and if any is left over, to helping the YMCA obtain more accessible equipment to benefit all their disabled members.Giveaways for our Selfless Donors!
We are no stranger to charity streams, and we a super appreciative to our donors! In the past, we’ve given away Amazon gift cards along with streamer specific prizes. This event is no different! If you donate at least $10 during our stream on Tiltify, you will be entered to win a Super Smash Bros Gamecube controller, along with a mystery amiibo figure! Take a look at our entire prize list, and the gift cards we will be raffling out to our wonderful community:
We urge everyone to tune in this Saturday, April 20th starting at 12 pm EST, to the Game Docs Twitch Charity Stream event and support this amazing girl! Every little bit goes a long way and all we can ask is to give what you can! Even if you cannot afford to donate at this time, we would still love to see you all there to enjoy the fun and just have a great time!
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MissSunshyne plays CS:GO & Cooks in 12 hour Stream for Charity!
MissSunshyne plays CS:GO & Cooks in 12 hour Stream for Charity!
Charity events are known as an epicenter of joy and selflessness. While the number of donations raised is the only obvious differences, the memories made by these events and the support given are all mirrored from past fundraisers. Whether you’re seeking a relaxing yet entertaining way to spend your day, or just looking for a place to hang out, we’ve got the event for you! Our next fundraising campaign will be hosted by Sierra aka MissSunshyne, on Friday, April 5th starting at 10 am and finishing at 10 pm!
The rise of Twitch.tv
Did you know that fundraising events are evolving with new technology? If you aren’t an avid gamer or a casual member of an online community, you may not be familiar with the online streaming service known as Twitch.tv. The website is formally known as ‘Justin.tv’ decided to stick to gaming content, as they witnessed most of their live streamers were in fact, playing video games. Streamers and viewers are able to interact with each other (through a twitch provided chatroom) while playing some of their favorite games! When a streamer rises themselves through the ranks, gaining their own specific fan-base, the options of entertainment are almost limitless. Here, streamers can find their niche to really build a following that understands them as a person, and also as a gamer.About Sierra aka MissSunshyne
We met Sierra earlier this year and could instantly feel her vibrant charm. The 25-year-old full-time streamer from Melbourne, FL started streaming back in September 2017. We conversed with Sierra over her twitch history, and says she “started [streaming] for fun, and it eventually turned into a full-time job”. Sierra continues, “I have a background in marketing and graphic design”, and “I really enjoy working with people”. This came as no surprise. Sierra’s energy, humble atmosphere, and personal interactions are all second to none. When you typically enter Sierra’s chatroom with a ‘Hello’, she almost instantly acknowledges you and makes you feel welcome. “Streaming is a really good way to use a lot of my talents, and it’s been a great experience!” She even has a movie viewing experience with her subscribers, one Sunday a month. Now that’s valuing your community!Where are the donations going?
Have you ever been stuck at home with no possible way to explore the land around you? Unable to experience a new setting due to the lack of immediate funds? These thoughts are a reality for Anita Rutland, who was diagnosed at 38 with the rare disease called Porphyria, that left her in a wheelchair. As a former Emergency Medical Technician, she is now in need of your support! We are hoping to make a big dent into Anita’s fundraiser with your help! All of your donations will be going towards a wheelchair accessible vehicle, so she can finally get out of the house and live her life again.What we have planned for the Stream!
A typical Twitch stream definitely does not run over 6-8 hours. Sierra will be putting 12 uninterrupted hours into this charity stream! This will only be her second 12 hour stream, as well as her very first stream dedicated to charity. This brings her quite the excitement. We are in high hopes to raise at least $1,250 for Anita Rutland! Over the 12 hours, she plans on streaming the game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Rated M for Mature). We also plan to have a few donation goal incentives, such as pieing her husband in the face! That’s not even all of it. Sierra also regularly hosts a cooking segment on her stream! When coordinating for this event, Sierra went out of her way to ask what Anita’s favorite dish was, so she could make it LIVE on stream. A gesture we did not expect!
Giveaways are a standard for charity events on Twitch. Dreamscape Foundation’s fundraiser is no different. We plan to giveaway CS:GO and Dreamscape merchandise, random steam keys, and even a $250 Amazon Gift Card! (Depending on your donation tier) MissSunshyne also plans to host her own giveaways, one of a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Gun Skin (AK47 – ‘Bloodsport’ Skin) and one of her home-baked cookies! (Only ships to North America) All one needs to do to enter, is to donate to Anita’s cause during the stream and we will work out the rest! We so look forward to all the fun happenings April 5th, 10am-10pm EST, and we hope you are too. We look forward to seeing you there!
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Plazma Streams for Joy
Plazma Streams for Joy
Plazma is a 17-year-old streamer from the Netherlands. Like many, he grew up gaming before being drawn to the online streaming community. Now he’s connecting with viewers on the digital ‘sphere with an encouraging message and interactive experience open to all.
Dreamscape Foundation delves into his backstory as well as his involvement in supporting our mission.
Who is Plazma?
His real name is Haike, but his audience/community knows him best as Plazma, a League of Legends streamer on Twitch. At age 6, he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Autism, yet he hasn’t let it slow him down. Instead, he spent several years receiving help to work through some of the challenges that came with his diagnosis.
That isn’t to say he hasn’t experienced the impact of ADD and Autism. There have been times when the label that came with his diagnosis felt like a stigma.
“People often separate you from the rest; as in they are normal and you are strange,” Plazma explained. “It’s like you’re being tagged and you can’t get rid of that tag.”
However, bullying was never really something he experienced firsthand. With a strong support system of friends and family, he doesn’t let those “tags” hold him back.
“I actually never really cared about [my diagnosis] because yeah, it’s real, but it doesn’t really matter that I have a condition,” he said. “I’m just myself.”
Plazma turned to streaming because he wanted to do something that made a difference in people’s lives. He received a lot of support from friends, family members, and people online, encouraging him to grow his channel.
“Making people happy makes me happy and it keeps me motivated,” Plazma said.
It helps that the computer is his favorite gaming platform. As a streamer, he’s able to share that passion with others while creating a community that isn’t limited to state lines or country borders.
Streaming for a Cause
As Plazma joined the streaming community, he encountered the Kool Kits, a stream team on Twitch. Impressed with how interactive the audience was and how everyone was having a great time, he decided to stick around the channel. That eventually led to him getting involved with the team.
Kool Kits recently did a stream for Dreamscape Foundation during our holiday fundraising. Plazma was part of their team during this event. One look at our mission and goal made him want to work alongside us to help others with disabilities.
In fact, he is now an active part of our community, spreading the word in whatever way he can to help us reach a bigger audience/share the dream. When asked about the event, his response was a humble one.
“Definitely check out everyone at the kool kits,” he said. “They made it possible for me to help Dreamscape and given me the [opportunity] to go further with streaming.”
A Word of Inspiration
While young, Plazma has been adamant about embracing life to the fullest. When asked for any words of wisdom for others who are struggling with ADD or Autism, his words were encouraging.
“Whatever condition you have, don’t see it as a disability,” he said. “See it as a possibility.”
You can check out Plazma’s Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/officialplazma or follow him on Twitter.
« PreviousNext »Twitch.tv and Fundraising
Twitch.tv and Fundraising
Twitch is a social media and video live streaming platform in the gaming community where players can come together. Amongst a multitude of other similar video streaming and online communication mediums, Twitch is at the forefront.
As of 2017, Twitch raised over an astounding 75 million dollars for 100 different charitable initiatives. The gaming community has over 45 million gaming members, which makes it a perfect resource for charity fundraising.
Twitch hosts many prominent events that bring the community together to support initiatives. The events range from Cancer Prevention Awareness to Doctors Without Borders, & even Dreamscape Foundation.
Having the ability to live stream from any location in order to put people in the front row of any event is huge. Donators or investors can get the experience of what the initiatives and charities offer.
Twitch connects to multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter giving them the ability to reach an even larger worldwide audience to spread the word about charity events, ways to donate and making people aware of causes that don’t receive as much spotlight.
Live interviews and Q&A sessions provide the viewers with direct communication with the charities. Direct connection encourages people to engage and ask questions, breaking down communication barriers and sparking more awareness as well.
While charities usually set up web links to crowd funding pages that provide viewers with details about the initiative, Dreamscape has worked to build their own. Our fundraising tool, built right into the website, lets them view interactive videos and click to donate options similar to popular sites Indiegogo, Kickstarter and GoFundMe.
Giving people the ability to do everything at home or on the go is another great option. Physical involvement in charities can be time consuming, but with the advent of live streaming technologies it has become increasingly easier to get the message out there. Users not only can view streams, but they can also save live moments for later and share them across most social media platforms.
Twitch streamers usually offer fixed length streams at multiple time intervals. Common lengths are five daily streams, and broadcasts up to 6, 12, even 24 hours! 48 hour or more are typically associated with huge events such as marathons, spanning long duration’s or involving extravagant situations. There are also times when the streams can run indefinitely until the goal is reached called “Until Too Tired to Continue”.
The streaming service is also available on consoles and streaming devices like Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon Fire TV and NVIDIA Shield to name a few. Twitch has a strong base in the gaming, entertainment community and online world. On Thursday, March 15th, 2018 popular streamer Ninja was playing the game Fortnite with superstars Drake, Travis Scott, and Pittsburgh Steeler WR Juju Smith-Schuster. The stream was viewed live by right under a million different people.
Twitch is a great fundraising tool because it provides such an all-encompassing video platform to build an audience, promote awareness within the community about a charity and through 3rd party resources bring in donations to achieve goals. Twitch holds the top spot as of now for leading video streaming/gaming domain and with more and more initiatives gaining success through the community it will be exciting to see how Twitch will continue to grow and expand into an even more useful resource for charities and other organizations.
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