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This is a press release posted in addition to our usual editorial content.
Jingle Jam – the world’s biggest games charity event – is back! Celebrating its 10 year anniversary, Jingle Jam brings together the whole gaming community in an epic and emotional event that runs from the 1st to the 14th of December. Streamers across the globe will raise funds for fourteen deserving charitable projects via Tiltify – both in the UK and internationally – while sharing the hugely popular Jingle Jam games collection.
Over $20 million has been raised for dozens for fantastic causes since the first Jingle Jam in 2011 and the event showcases the huge generosity of gamers, streamers, publishers and developers.
The variety and scope of projects for Jingle Jam 2021 covers everything from national to global issues including disabled access to gaming and sport, cancer research, tackling structural racism and inequalities, LGBTQ+ issues, environmentalism and sustainability.
“I’m delighted to reveal this year’s charity partners. We’re supporting a diverse range of brilliant causes and we look forward to helping make a real difference to so many people,” says Lewis Brindley, co-founder of The Yogscast. “Now the charities are announced, our attention turns to the collection of games itself. We hope the industry will once again help support Twitch’s biggest charity drive. Jingle Jam is always a brilliant two weeks sharing some amazing games with a fantastic audience and raising a whole lot of money for people who need it!”
Special live events and games are streamed to the front page of Twitch for the duration of the event – offering a real global focal point for the collection, the companies participating and the charities it supports. Game publishers and developers can get involved by including their games in the collection, which is rewarded to anyone who donates $30 or more to a charity of their choice. Previous years have included global smash hits such as Rust, Starbound and Transistor, as well as celebrated indie smash hits like For The King and Invisible Inc.
Organised and hosted entirely by volunteers, in the first week of December last year twitch.tv/yogscast was the biggest channel on Twitch. The opening three-hour stream of Jingle Cats was watched by over 1m unique viewers and the event is featured heavily on the Yogscast YouTube network and social media platforms with tens of millions of subscribers.
Over fifty Jingle Jam streamers are involved in special events – such as cooking, painting, poker, karaoke and more. Many streams are also dedicated to playing games in the collection – as well as sharing other games and upcoming projects from teams who have contributed games to the event.
This year’s Jingle Jam fundraising period and Jingle Jam charity games bundle will support the following charity projects:
Access Sport
Access Sport is a charity meeting the urgent need to improve children and young people’s health and wellbeing, working solely with young people in deprived communities and with a strong emphasis on young disabled people.
Autistica
Autistica is the UK’s national autism research charity. They focus on giving autistic people the opportunity to live long, happy, healthy lives.
Call of Duty Endowment
The Call of Duty Endowment helps veterans find high quality careers by supporting groups that prepare them for the job market and by raising awareness of the value vets bring to the workplace.
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK funds scientists, doctors and nurses to help beat cancer sooner. They also provide cancer information to the public.
End the Virus of Racism
End the Virus of Racism works to tackle structural racism and inequalities, following a threefold increase in hate crime and rising racism, against East & Southeast Asian communities during COVID.
Global’s Make Some Noise
Make Some Noise improves the lives of disadvantaged people in our communities by working with small charities across the UK.
ILGA World
ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – is a worldwide federation of more than 1,700 organisations from over 160 countries and territories campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex human rights.
Lifelites
Lifelites is the charity which gives life-limited and disabled children using hospice services across the British Isles the chance to play, be creative, control something for themselves and communicate, through the magic of assistive technology.
Mental Health Foundation
Improving the wellbeing of gamers by funding groundbreaking research and help people understand, protect and sustain their mental health.
SpecialEffect
By using technology ranging from modified joypads to eye-control, SpecialEffect finds ways for people to play to the very best of their abilities. They put fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games.
The Grand Appeal
The Grand Appeal, the official Bristol Children’s Hospital charity, are committed to saving lives and supporting families at the children’s hospital.
Open Bionics
Open bionics is a company developing affordable, assistive devices that enhance the human body. They’re on a mission to make 3D prosthetics beautiful, functional and more accessible.
War Child
Aiming to reach children as early as possible when conflict breaks out and stay to support them through their recovery – keeping them safe, helping them learn and cope with their experiences, and equipping them with skills for the future.
Whale and Dolphin Conservation
WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation is the leading global charity dedicated to the conservation and protection of whales and dolphins, defending them against the many threats they face through campaigns, lobbying, advising governments, science, and rescue.
You can keep up to date with all things Jingle Jam on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jinglejam Follow the official Jingle Jam livestreams in December at https://www.twitch.tv/yogscast More information at https://www.jinglejam.co.uk/
