It’s more than a little cool to see what various groups do to bring aid to children through the positive power of video games. It’s even better when a crew can get others involved to not just offer their money, but their time as well. When it comes to this, Charity Nerds is a group that does wonders. We spoke with founder and president of Charity Nerds, Heath Locklear, who was hospitalized for an extended period of time when he was a young man. His family, his friends, and his Nintendo DS helped him through this trying time during which he was confined to a hospital bed for months. 

Years later when he recovered, Heath’s family pushed and supported him in finding a way to help children facing similar challenges through the same avenue that helped him fight on - video games. Thus, Heath started Charity Nerds as a way to help kids take their mind of their conditions and lose themselves in the outlandish and fun worlds of their favorite video games. 

The Gainesville, Florida-based Charity Nerds’ main goal is to help kids facing challenges through the power of play. When discussing his reasons for starting the charity, Heath spoke to accessibility and the desire to bring games and relief to places where they could otherwise not be found. 

“I wanted to start a charity to give this same comfort to kids around the world who are not able to afford it,” Heath claims.

Since they started in 2016, Charity Nerds has provided games to hospitals, foster homes, military families, at-risk youth centers, and pretty much any situation where a game can help them cope. According to Charity Nerds’ website, their core mission is to “provide an escape from the psychological and physical effects of medical treatment, and to help [children] and their families cope with their healthcare experience.” Another goal is to promote volunteerism among teenagers.  The charity often offers fun fundraising events to engage local teens to participate. 

Charity Nerds features a number of different avenues to generate funds, but one of the most fun ways is through their tournaments. Charity Nerds organizes tournaments for kids of all ages to get together and have a good time. All of the proceeds earned from entrance, attendance, and donations at the tournament goes back into the charity to continue to purchase consoles and games for children in need. Cash and equipment, both new and used, can also be donated directly to the charity.

To support the the various events, Charity Nerds also has partnerships with multiple esports organizations that help them through online streaming fundraisers and tournaments. Among their partnerships are crews like Noble Gaming, United Rogue and 1UP Esports to name a few. Through the support of these professional and popular groups in the constantly growing esports scene, Charity Nerds is about to spread the word and carry out aid to a wider area. 

At the local level, the charity also hosts activities like car washes, trivia night, and various other events at various establishments in the area. Heath told us of their most unique event - a “Zombie Safari” held in Gainesville, where guests took a 30 minute “train” ride through zombie infested woods and shot their undead foes with paintball guns. In total, they raised $3,000 over two nights and signed up 50 volunteers to assist the group in their efforts. It’s a unique way to get volunteers involved, bring in donators and return some entertainment for the investment in this worthy cause.

Anyone interested in lending a helping hand to Charity Nerds can either donate directly to them or sign up to be a volunteer or a sponsor. Gamers who enjoy streaming can also apply to be a part of Charity Nerds’ “Stream Team” to generate funds for the charity simply by playing their favorite games. 

For more information, visit Charity Nerds’ website and sign up for their newsletter. You can also like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.