I’m very excited to announce that we’re teaming up with Gamers Outreach, who will be the official charity partner of The Big House 5 coming up October 2-4, 2015 in Dearborn, MI!

Gamers Outreach Foundation is a Michigan-based 501(c)(3) charity organization that provides therapy and recreation to children in hospitals using video games! One of their specific projects (piloted at Mott Children’s Hospital of Ann Arbor) includes building portable video game kiosks for kids hospitals who are in need of bedside activities. Having personally worked with the Gamers Outreach team before at Gamers for Giving earlier this year, I can say they are not only some of the best TOs around, but also great community leaders who care about very impactful causes.

Throughout the next two weeks, Gamers Outreach will be working with the Smash community to raise funds for a specialized delivery of video games and equipment to Hurley Children’s Hospital of Flint, Michigan.

Photo of the classic Gamers Outreach portable gaming kiosk, aka “GO Kart” (above)!

For those unaware, Flint has a storied history in the state of Michigan. Once a hotbed for car manufacturing, the city fell on hard economic times after General Motors closed a manufacturing plant which drove a lot of the city’s job growth, pushing the local economy into a deep depression. Just a few years ago, Flint was ranked as “one of the most dangerous cities in the US” and violent crime is still prevalent today.

As a city-funded hospital, Hurley Children’s has limited resources compared to its state counterparts, and often treats children who are victims of Flint’s economic climate. Earlier in 2015, Hurley Children’s reached out to Gamers Outreach asking for videogame donations in an effort to increase the recreational activity that is normally hard to come by for patients.

That’s where The Big House 5 comes in. Our goal is to raise at least $10,000 to support the construction of a portable gaming kiosk, also known as a GO Kart, as well as videogames and additional equipment for kids at Hurley Children’s Hospital. These items will be used to outfit various rooms throughout the facility, and we can’t wait to see the difference they make for the kids and families dealing with long-term treatment there.

Hurley Children’s Hospital of Flint, Michigan is limited in resources as a city-funded hospital. The Big House 5 and Gamers Outreach hope to contribute videogames and equipment to their facility.

To support our efforts, the Compendium donation drive will be extended by two days, featuring big charity donations in Levels 13 and 15. The upcoming Fantasy Smash page will launch after that, and the Artist eShop will stay open throughout TBH5 weekend, both representing ways for you to donate further. Let’s make this project a reality!

Donate today at The Big House 5 Compendium via smash.gg. The portion of donations that go towards Hurley Children’s Hospital will be collected by Gamers Outreach, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and your donations are tax-deductible.

Furthermore, attendees who are physically present at the event will have the opportunity to talk with us in-person at the Gamers Outreach booth. Here you’ll be able to learn more about the charitable work being done, and further donate to support this Michigan Smash charity project.

If you aren’t able to donate, anything you can do to spread the word on social media is a tremendous help. Tweet the Compendium link, ask your friends to contribute, use the hashtag #TBH5, and hit up @GamersOutreach and @smashgg!

The Smash community has been so impressive with its interest in the Compendium thus far. We’ve unlocked international players, overnight venues, mini-documentaries, pot bonuses, and more. Now it’s time to give back, by donating towards a great cause. Help us help out the community!

Gamers Outreach has a long history of helping provide videogame equipment to hospitals (above) including CS Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you’re as excited about The Big House 5 as I am, join the social media discussion! This year’s installment is set to take place on October 2-4, 2015 in Dearborn, MI.

#TBH5

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