How Video Game Fundraisers Create Big Opportunity for Charities w/ Twitch’s Alyssa Sweetman

One of the biggest success stories from the world of games has been charity fundraisers. While public perception of "gamers" doesn't include philanthropy, the reality couldn't be further from the truth. More than $42 million has been pledged to charity over the last decade—all from gamers supporting their favorite causes.

"I don't think it has anything to do with video games, to be honest," Alyssa Sweetman, diversity and charity platform manager at Twitch says about the success of fundraisers. "I think that it has everything to do with instant feedback loop."

Alyssa has helped lead some amazing activities in her role. When COVID first hit, she worked with brands like Verizon and P&G too put together an amazing 12-hour event that featured live music from Ellie Goulding and Diplo alongside competitions in Fortnite and UNO. All proceeds went to the United Nations Foundation's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. She also helped to raise over $300,000 for The Trevor Project.

I spoke with Alyssa about how to pick the right streamers for your fundraiser, why videogame charity events aren't any different from walk-a-thons, and why you should let influencers just be themselves.

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Jamin Warren founded Gameplayarts, an advisory that helps museums and cultural organizations engage with the world of gaming. He provides them with the research, strategy, and execution they need to reach gamers for the first–or millionth–time. Gameplayarts’ past and present clients organizations like MoMA, the Getty Research Institute, Tribeca Enterprises, and PBS.