\nCharity orgs unite to promote gaming accessibility for hospitalized children.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
Los Angeles \u2013 October 17th<\/sup>, 2017 \u2013 Gamers Outreach and AbleGamers are thrilled to announce a new partnership to bring fun to children and adults with disabilities in the hospital setting. AbleGamers is a charity organization that grants custom-made, 3-D printed and specialized equipment to people with disabilities who need help accessing video games. Gamers Outreach is an organization that provides a gaming kiosks (GO Karts) to enable videogames to be brought to anyone anywhere in the hospital. The two charities are partnering to expand accessible gaming opportunities within pediatric environments by equipping select\u00a0GO Karts<\/em>\u00a0with\u00a0Expansion Packs<\/em>. Expansion Packs<\/strong>\u00a0by AbleGamers are customized packages of equipment provided to healthcare professionals which contain an assortment of assistive technology such as modified controllers and custom devices used to enable people with disabilities to play video games. AbleGamers also provides accessibility experts to install and maintain these Expansion Packs throughout the life of the project. First launched in early 2016, Expansion Packs have been donated to facilities with multiple special needs patients as a way to ensure gaming experiences are widely accessible. GO Karts<\/strong>\u00a0(Gamers Outreach Karts) are portable video game kiosks constructed specifically for the hospital environment. Each unit is equipped with a gaming console, games, monitor, controllers, and occasionally VR devices. GO Karts are secure mobile entertainment units which allow hospital staff to easily provide children with access to recreation at the bedside environment or during long-term treatment.<\/p>\n Gamers Outreach plans to offer AbleGamers\u2019 Expansion Packs as accessories to GO Karts, with the hope of expanding the variety of materials available to hospital staff who support patients with limited mobility. The partnership will kick off with a joint donation being made to Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the hospital environment, we support a wide array of patients, including children who have limited mobility,\u201d said Zach Wigal, Founder of Gamers Outreach. \u201cThere\u2019s an obvious synergy between our programs and the work of AbleGamers. The Expansion Packs equipped to our GO Karts will provide healthcare professionals with a diverse entertainment toolkit. Ultimately, we believe these devices will help ensure the joy of gaming is experienced by all patients, regardless of their circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe work we do to support people with disabilities is bigger than us,\u201d said Steven Spohn, AbleGamers COO. \u201cThere are 33 million children, adults, and veterans with disabilities in America alone. Gamers Outreach has been a friend and ally since the creation of both organizations. It\u2019s a natural fit, now that we both have generous supporters who believe in helping those in need, to come together and help even more people. Together, we will ensure that children inside the hospital and at home can enjoy a distraction from the sometimes scary hospital environment.\u201d<\/p>\n More information about the two charities can be found at\u00a0www.GamersOutreach.org<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0www.AbleGamers.org<\/a>. About AbleGamers<\/strong><\/p>\n The AbleGamers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity that wields the power of video games to break down the barriers of economic and social isolation for people with disabilities. Through received support and donations, AbleGamers provides disabled gamers with assistive technologies (including their Expansion Pack program) that allow those with limited real-world mobility to experience what it is like to walk, run, climb, drive and even fly \u2013 in a virtual world.<\/p>\n About Gamers Outreach<\/strong><\/p>\n Gamers Outreach is a 501(c)(3) charity organization that provides recreation to children in hospitals through the power of video games and the gaming community. Hospitalization can often be a lonely, isolating, and scary experience for young people. Gamers Outreach eases those burdens by providing equipment, technology, and software that help kids cope with long-term treatment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\nThe partnership will be celebrated October 20th<\/sup>\u00a0\u2013 22nd<\/sup>\u00a0at TwitchCon 2017 through a joint exhibition between the two organizations. Streamers and gaming fans attending TwitchCon will have the chance to learn more about each group\u2019s work and contribute to the cause.<\/p>\n
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