Donations at GameStop will help local kids get back to being kids

GameStop and Microsoft® donating first $70,000 toward GameStop Gives initiative; GameStop donating proceeds from Xbox^® Adaptive Controller sold exclusively on GameStop.com

DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the sixth year in a row, GameStop has teamed up with Make-A-Wish^® to help make more wishes come true for children with critical illnesses. Upping the ante this year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® (CMN Hospitals) joins the collaborative effort to help local kids get back to being kids.

Donations will be accepted at GameStop stores and online at GameStop.com from August 29 – September 30. One hundred percent of all customer donations collected will be equally distributed to help kids going through treatment at one of the 170 local CMN Hospitals or by having their wish granted by Make-A-Wish.

“At E3 in June, we announced that our GameStop Gives initiative is focused on using the power of gaming to drive positive change in the areas of youth-wellbeing and education,” said Rob Lloyd, COO and CFO of GameStop. “I am proud to share that our friends at Microsoft announced today - in front of nearly 4,000 GameStop store leaders at the company's annual GME Conference - that they are joining our GameStop Gives initiative to help kids battling critical illnesses.”

To kick off the September GameStop Gives initiative, Microsoft will donate $10,000 and GameStop will  be donating $60,000. Plus, GameStop will donate up to $8,000 from the limited sale of the Xbox^® Adaptive Controller exclusively sold at GameStop.com. In the spirit of inclusive design and supporting  Microsoft’s “Gaming for Everyone” initiative, the Xbox Adaptive Controller is a first of its kind gaming controller built specifically for people with limited mobility – giving them  a more accessible, customizable and inclusive gaming experience.

Local children will benefit from the GameStop Gives initiative, like Mia. A sweet girl with a huge heart and vibrant spirit, Mia was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) at age eight. Mia was treated at the University of California Davis Children’s Hospital—a local CMN Hospital. When it came time for Mia’s wish, she knew immediately she wanted a gaming computer from GameStop to play video games. GameStop provided a VIP shopping spree which helped give Mia renewed energy and strength to continue to fight her illness.

GameStop has made it easy for guests to help local kids in their respective communities:

• Donate at checkout. Guests can give $1 or more or round up their purchase. Plus, PowerUp Rewards members will receive triple PowerUp Rewards points on the donation amount.
• Donate PowerUp Rewards points. Members can donate points to each charity in the PowerUp Rewards Center.
• Trade In for Charity. Donate up to 100 percent of trade-in value to charity when you bring unused video game hardware, software, accessories or consumer electronics to GameStop.

“We know a wish can be a game-changer for a child with a critical illness. Research shows children who have wishes granted build the physical and emotional strength needed to fight a critical illness,” said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish. “We are thrilled to be working again with our friends at GameStop—a partner that believes in our mission and gets to see it in action nearly every day.”

“We are proud to be partnering with GameStop to help further our mission to save and improve the lives of local kids. The funds raised by GameStop’s initiatives will impact pediatric care for more than 10 million children treated each year at local CMN Hospitals throughout the country and we are very grateful for their support,” said John Lauck, president and CEO of CMN Hospitals. 

GameStop has been a proud supporter of local sick and injured children, raising nearly $7 million since 2007. Currently, an average of one wish kid per day specifically requests a shopping spree at GameStop as part of their wish and 62 kids enter a CMN Hospital every minute. To date, more than 2,500 wish kids have benefited from GameStop’s generosity through gift cards provided to enhance these shopping sprees and gaming wishes. Funds raised from this current campaign will continue to provide wishes and  impact critical care and patient services for local kids.

About Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish^® creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 35,000 volunteers across the U.S., grant a wish every 34 minutes, on average, somewhere in the country. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 300,000 wishes to children in the U.S. and its territories; more than 15,400 in 2017 alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.

About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, and learn about your member hospital, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.

About GameStop
GameStop, the world’s largest video game retailer, offers the best selection of new and pre-owned video gaming consoles, accessories and video game titles, in both physical and digital formats. GameStop also offers fans a wide variety of pop vinyl toys, collectibles, board games and more. Through GameStop’s unique buy-sell-trade program, gamers can trade in video game consoles, games, and accessories, as well as consumer electronics for cash or in-store credit. The retailer operates thousands of locations around the world under the GameStop, EB Games and Micromania retail brands. Fans can find their local GameStop store using the company’s online store locator tool.

To get the latest news on video gaming and gear, follow GameStop on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. GameStop, EB Games, and Micromania are part of GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), a global specialty retailer that makes the most popular technologies affordable and simple.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Make-A-Wish: Casey Thompson via cthompson@wish.org or 602.385.6862
CMN Hospitals: Brian Golden via bgolden@cmnhospitals.org or 757-620-5016
GameStop: Martha Sotelo via marthasotelo@gamestop.com or 817-424-2099