Let’s be honest, 2020 has been a fairly rough year for everybody.
However, the games industry has been luckier than most. Many people have struggled with issues surrounding Covid-19, employers have struggled with the shift to remote working, but on the whole, the games industry has not only remained reasonably stable, but could be said to have benefited from the pandemic.
So let’s pay it back.
The homeless are facing one of the worst crises ever. The economy is in turmoil, people are losing jobs, or are at risk from unemployment, redundancy and an uncertain future. We’re still in the grip of a global pandemic, and now, with winter, it’s an unimaginably hard ever to face being on the streets.
The awesome Eltanin Casciani, community manager for Junkfish, has stepped up and started a JustGiving campaign to help the homeless. It will raise money for Shelter, the charity which support people at risk of homelessness, or who are already sleeping rough.
As Eltanin said:
If everyone in the UK games industry – their colleagues, their friends, family, even just fans of our games – could give just £1, think how much we could raise.
The campaign to help the homeless is hoping to raise £5,000. You can help directly by visiting the campaign’s JustGiving page and making a secure donation. If you’re in the UK, you can also add gift aid to your contribution, which will allow the charity to claim an additional 25p for every pound donated.
As Shelter puts it:
Many people struggling with bad housing and homelessness have already endured the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic without a safe place to live. And now, Christmas will be spent in cramped bed and breakfasts, sleeping in cars, or in temporary accommodation hundreds of miles away from family.
A donation to support our essential work could be the lifeline that so many people need. It could be the difference between a Christmas marked with struggle and worry, and one full of hope, stability, and smiles. This winter, will you show you care?
The campaign has already blasted through £3,000, but there’s more to do. Every pound will go towards helping people in desperate need.
Find out more and donate here.
Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash