This sounds cool, but what exactly is Extra Life?

Extra Life is gamers doing what they do best to help kids at their chosen Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Simply sign up, commit to play games for 12 or 24 hours on any day of your choosing (or over a few days), and ask your family and friends to support your efforts!

Playing games can help Boston Children’s? How does it work?

Great question! You can get started by registering right here! Once you complete registration, you’ll get an online fundraising page that you can customize, setting a fundraising goal and sharing your personal reason for why you’re participating in Extra Life. You’re able to unlock digital content and rewards by asking your family and friends to donate towards your efforts.

What if I can’t commit to that date or the entire time?

No problem! Don’t let a commitment on the official Game Day stop you from joining. You can put in your game time whenever it works for you.

Where do I go to play? Who do I play with?

Most Extra Lifers participate from the comfort of their own home! Some gather friends and contact local businesses to host an Extra Life party. Still others play with their friends online from across the globe! How, where and with whom you play is up to you!

What kinds of games qualify for Extra Life?

All games! From PS4 to Pac-man on your phone, from classic board games to playing H-O-R-S-E in your driveway, the important thing is that you’re having fun and helping the kids! If you’re advertising that you’re playing for Boston Children’s Hospital, we do ask that you keep it clean—it’s for the kids!

What do I do on Game Day?

It’s totally up to you! You can game from the comfort of your own couch, at your friend’s house, at a rec center—anywhere is fair game (Pun intended. Eyerolls permitted)! Lots of Extra Lifers organize big group events for the occasion and just as many pull out the sweatpants and snacks for a chill day at home. It’s your fundraiser—do it your way!

What is Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals?

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for 170 children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. The hospitals, in turn, are able to use the money where it is needed the most. You can read more about their history at: childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org

12 or 24 hours of gaming? That sounds unhealthy!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to participate for 24 hours straight! Extra Lifers are heroes but they’re still human! Don’t forget meals, bathroom breaks, and to take plenty of opportunities to stretch. Boston Children’s Hospital also supports healthy, safe and controlled gaming. If you have questions or concerns about you or your child’s gaming, please visit www.cmch.tv/ or http://cmch.tv/parents/video‐games/ for resources on healthy gaming habits for kids.

Count me in! How do I sign up?

Awesome—so glad to have you on board! Registering for Extra Life is easy and painless. Simply click here, answer a few questions for us and voilà! You will have your own Extra Life fundraising page where you can start getting to work to helping kids heal.

How did this all get started?

Great question! Watch the full story here (and get your tissues ready).

What should I set my fundraising goal to?

While the default goal amount is $100 for Classic participants and $200 for Platinum, we encourage you to find a goal amount that means something to you. Jeromy Adams (the founder of Extra Life) set his goal back in 2011 for $5,415: the total of $5 for every day his friend Tori spent fighting leukemia before she passed away. It was an ambitious goal and one that made him nervous, but it meant something to him. It turned out that it meant something to his donors, too—they helped him almost DOUBLE his goal! If you hit your goal, remember that can you always change your goal to something higher!

Do you have any hi-res logos, social media banners, or backgrounds that I could use to further spread the awesomeness that is Extra Life?

As a matter of fact, we do! Sign up and you’ll unlock all these goodies. Need something ASAP? Check out our resources here, or email us at extralife@chtrust.org.

What is a Guild and how can I find one in my area?

An Extra Life Guild is a group of passionate Extra Lifers who want to get more involved and help strengthen the Extra Life community on a local level. The Guild is expected to meet once a month to find ways to help grow the Extra Life movement. Guild members will have the opportunity to attend local gaming industry events and conferences, chat with other elite members of the Extra Life community and meet some of the kiddos that are treated at their local children’s hospital! To learn more, email us at extralife@chtrust.org.

On top of helping kids, can my donors get a tax break?

Yes! Both Boston Children’s Hospital and Extra Life are 501c3 nonprofits. Check out this article for step by step help! Still stuck? Let us know if your donor wants to mail in an old-school check or if they made their donation online. We’ll make sure they get the appropriate kudos and paperwork from there.