The Entertainment Software Association - ESA Foundation Beneficiaries

ESA Foundation Beneficiaries

* Denotes multi-year commitments

2010 & 2009 Grant Recipients

Association on American Indian Affairs

The Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) promotes the welfare of American Indians and Alaska Natives by supporting efforts to: sustain and perpetuate their cultures and languages; protect their sovereignty, constitutional, legal and human rights, and natural resources; and improve their health, education, and economic and community development. AAIA is a national Indian organization, governed by an all-Native American Board of Directors, whose programs fall into four main categories: youth/education, health, cultural preservation and sovereignty.

ESAF awarded a grant to AAIA in 2010 to create interactive computer-based learning materials for Native American children to use in learning their Native languages. This software will strengthen tribal communities and enhance the overall well-being and academic achievements of American Indian students through preservation of cultural wisdom contained in language.

DonorsChoose.org

DonorsChoose.org is dedicated to addressing the scarcity and inequitable distribution of learning materials and experiences in public schools. DonorsChoose.org improves public education by engaging citizens in an online marketplace where teachers describe specific educational projects for their classrooms and individuals can choose which projects to fund. Their vision is of a nation where students in every community have the resources they need to learn. Since launching in 2000, DonorsChoose.org has directed more than $37 Million in resources and experiences for public school students and have empowered more than 150,000 teachers and citizen philanthropists to become change makers.

The 2010 ESAF grant will encourage student and teacher innovation by supporting classroom projects that use video or computer games to improve math, literacy and social skills. ESAF will fund 50% of qualifying classroom projects across the country, promoting core subject lessons in high-need public schools and allow members of the public, foundations and/or corporate partners to donate the remaining dollars needed.

Federation of American Scientists*

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) is a 64-year-old science policy organization that counts 70 Nobel Laureates on its Board of Sponsors. FAS addresses a broad spectrum of policy issues in carrying out its mission to promote humanitarian uses of science and technology. They have three main program areas: Energy and the Environment, Learning Technologies and Strategic Security. The Learning Technologies Program works on research and development to harness the potential of emerging information technologies to improve how we teach and learn.

FAS created Immune Attack, an educational video game that introduces basic concepts of human immunology to middle school, high school and entry-level college students. Designed as a supplemental learning tool, Immune Attack aims to familiarize students with molecular biology and cell biology concepts as they pertain to the battle between white blood cells and infectious agents. ESAF first supported distribution and development of materials as well as teacher trainings for the game in 2007. In 2009 ESAF made a three-year commitment to FAS to support additional teacher training, improve game support materials, increase outreach activities and widen distribution and evaluation.

HopeLab Foundation

HopeLab is a nonprofit organization that combines rigorous research with innovative solutions to improve the health and quality of life of young people with chronic illness. They are committed to the scientific study of their work through formative research and evaluation studies to ensure that their products and approaches are effective. Most importantly, HopeLab works closely with young people to incorporate their critical and ongoing input into product development. HopeLab works to address diseases in which there is significant unmet need among young people and where there is potential to have great impact, including cancer, obesity, sickle cell disease, autism, and major depressive disorder.

In 2006 HopeLab created Re-Mission, a groundbreaking video game for teens and young adults with cancer. Re-Mission is the first video game shown to induce positive behaviors that enhance the effectiveness of medical treatment. In the game, a nanobot named Roxxi travels through the bodies of fictional cancer patients, destroying cancer cells, battling bacterial infections, and managing the effects of cancer and cancer treatments – behaviors that are critical to positive health outcomes in the real world. Research published in the medical journal Pediatrics shows that Re-Mission works: Young cancer patients who played Re-Mission stuck to their prescribed treatments more consistently and showed increases in cancer knowledge and self-efficacy, critical to their fight against cancer. Since 2007, ESAF has been a key partner in the free distribution of Re-Mission throughout the country. With the ESAF's support, HopeLab has distributed tens of thousands of free copies of Re-Mission to young people with cancer attending cancer camps and in hospitals – as well as to their clinicians and other care providers. ESAF awarded HopeLab a grant in 2010 to continue the distribution of the game to youth living with cancer and other medical staff.

National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF)

Since 1996, NIMF has worked to help educate parents and communities about their children's media exposure. NIMF is an independent, nonpartisan, nonsectarian and nonprofit organization that is based on research, education and advocacy. Its MediaWise Network helps parents, teachers and community leaders monitor and influence the media world by providing free resource guides, the latest research, blogs and more.

In 2009 ESAF supported SWITCH, a childhood health and wellness program designed to change three key behaviors - physical activity (Do), television viewing/screen time (View) and fruit/vegetable consumption (Chew). The SWITCH program provides participants, typically 3rd graders, and their families with easy to use tools and resources to make healthy choices.

One Economy Corporation

One Economy Corporation is a global nonprofit organization that uses innovative approaches to deliver the power of technology and information to low-income people, giving them valuable tools for building better lives. They help bring broadband into the homes of low-income people, employ youth to train their community members to use technology effectively, and provide public-purpose media properties that offer a wealth of information on education, jobs, health care and other vital issues. Their mission is to maximize the potential of technology to help low-income people improve their lives and enter the economic mainstream.

ESAF first supported the expansion of the Digital Connectors program to Chicago, New York City, Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose in 2009. One Economy will grow and improve these programs with the 2010 ESAF grant. The Digital Connectors program is the best practice, youth development movement that engages low-income teens and young adults, ages 14 to 21, in leadership development, digital education, life skills management and community service. By making a difference in their respective communities, taking field trips to high tech companies, hearing from emerging business leaders and connecting to each other through the Connectors Club web site, youth are able to hone technical competencies and grasp lifelong principles that inspire educational advancement and workforce preparation. The Digital Connectors program was designed to unleash the power of technology for youth and disconnected families.

PAX / Real Solutions to Gun Violence*

PAX is a nonpolitical nonprofit organization working with all Americans to help end gun violence against children and families. PAX's two innovative programs -- SPEAK UP and ASK (Asking Saves Kids) -- offer practical solutions for protecting children from gun violence. SPEAK UP is a proven national youth violence-prevention initiative that empowers students with critical knowledge and resources to prevent weapon-related violence in their schools and communities. The SPEAK UP Campaign consists of a national hotline (1-866-SPEAK-UP) for students to anonymously report weapon threats, a mass awareness campaign and a youth education initiative.

ESAF supported the SPEAK UP program in 2006 and 2007 and are pleased to again collaborate with PAX in 2009 and 2010. This two-year grant supports measurable implementation of the SPEAK UP program in a TBA location including community outreach and coalition building, 1-866-SPEAK-UP customization, media outreach, education kits and materials as well as assessments.

Purdue University - Center for Serious Games and Learning in Virtual Environments

The mission of the Purdue Center for Serious Games and Learning in Virtual Environments is to provide support for implementing, designing and developing serious games and virtual environments for learning; to encourage collaboration across Purdue and with K-12 schools; and, to establish a foundation for securing funding and conducting research at Purdue on the use of serious games and virtual learning environments in education.

ESAF awarded a grant in 2010 to the “Serious Games Center” at Purdue University to develop National Pastime, a citizenship education video game designed to teach middle and high school students about the internment of Japanese-Americans in the United States during WWII. By immersing players in the internment experience, the game seeks to engage students with their roles as citizens in a democracy, highlight challenges a democracy can face and illuminate the responsibilities of citizens to protect their freedoms. The grant will also fund the implementation and evaluation of the game in an alternative high school.

ThanksUSA*

ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable effort to mobilize Americans of all ages to "thank" the men and women of the United States armed forces. They provide college, technical and vocational school scholarships for the children and spouses of military personnel. Since 2006, ThanksUSA has provided over $5 million in military-family scholarships. In 2010, they plan to award 500 scholarships of $3,000 each.

ESAF awarded a three-year grant to ThanksUSA in 2009 to sponsor its annual game, Treasure Hunt, a trivia and puzzle book about American history, culture and values that generates donations for scholarships. The grant also supports the ESA Foundation/ThanksUSA Scholarship for Military Youth. Dependent children, age 24 and under, of active-duty U.S. military service personnel are eligible to apply.

The Animation Project (TAP)

The Animation Project (TAP) offers a compelling and revolutionary form of animation therapy that, by taking full advantage of adolescent's interest in video games, propels adolescent development in the emotional, social and cognitive areas. TAP's technology-based group therapy builds self-esteem, pre-planning and collaborative skills as well as technical abilities. The combination of improved mental health with newly acquired hi-tech aptitudes prepares the adolescents for success in the modern workplace.

The 2009 ESAF grant supported expansion of TAP's 3D Computer Animation therapy to at-risk adolescents in New York and New Jersey. Working in support groups, youth make their own videogame-scenarios and animations that are used over the course of the program as a therapy vehicle. A licensed art therapist and a professional computer animator lead the groups.

Web Wise Kids

Web Wise Kids (WWK) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing online child victimization by providing innovative tools to empower today's youth to make wise choices online. WWK implements interactive Internet safety programs nationwide in conjunction with school systems, law enforcement, teachers, community-based youth organizations and others. Their programs have been chosen as part of the US Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood Initiative. WWK programs have reached over six million children and thousands of parents nationwide.

ESAF has been a strong supporter of WWK since 2002. Through the years of collaboration, WWK has developed and distributed three educational computer games (MISSING, Mirror Image and AirDogs) to students, teachers, law enforcement officers and other youth leaders in 49 of the 50 United States. MISSING educates youth about the dangers of online luring, predators and chat rooms. Mirror Image teaches about criminals who use the Internet to lure young women with promises of modeling contracts and online romance. AirDogs shows teenagers that online crimes have lifelong legal and social consequences for teens and their families. With ESAF's support, WWK has also collaborated with the California and New York State PTAs to give parents access to the Wired With Wisdom e-learning program, which provides useful information and solutions related to the problems faced by today's e-generation. In 2009 WWK began distribution of It's YOUR Call, a new online computer game about cell phone dangers, made possible in part by a grant from ESAF. With ESAF support in 2010, WWK will translate the Wired With Wisdom program into Spanish to assist Latino parents in their understanding of and ability to supervise, guide and protect their children from online dangers.

WGBH

WGBH is a public service media producer for New England – on TV, radio, the Web, and in the community. It is the single largest producer of PBS prime time and online programming, and a major source of programs heard on public radio from coast to coast. WGBH is a pioneer in educational multimedia and in media access technologies for people with hearing or vision loss. WGBH created THE GREENS, a web site geared towards kids ages 9-13 offering flash-animated episodes, interactive games and quizzes, engaging dialogues, a blog and other activities that illustrate environmental concepts and suggest ways to make a difference.

ESAF awarded WGBH a grant in 2009 to help develop online animations and games that teach tweens how to live sustainable lifestyles, which are the centerpiece of THE GREENS web site (pbskids.org/greens). The games and animations guide kids in a critical exploration of green choices, prompt real-world action and underscore a shared relationship with others worldwide in facing environmental challenges. Project advisors include the Earthwatch Institute, the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the North American Association for Environmental Education.

Previous Beneficiaries

Association of Hole in the Wall Camps (AHWC)

AHWC's mission is to provide children with serious medical conditions and life-threatening illnesses a chance to attend summer camps with children who have similar conditions. Through intentional programming and therapeutic recreation, traditional camp programs are designed to foster self-confidence, enhance coping and resilience and help campers reach beyond the limits of their medical conditions. The first camp was founded by Paul Newman in Connecticut in 1998; today camps and programs span the globe - reaching children and their families in 39 countries and all 50 US states.

The 2005 ESAF grant enabled camps in New York and Florida to create and maintain web sites that allow campers to interact with friends made at camp, volunteers, counselors and staff throughout the year. This interaction fosters friendships and offers relief from the isolation children may feel upon returning home and support as their illness progresses.

Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)

BGCA's mission is to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. BGCA provides a safe place to learn and grow, ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals, life-enhancing programs and character development experiences.

ESAF supported BGCA's Delinquency Prevention Initiative (DPI) from 2001 to 2005. The DPI program was created to provide a positive, productive alternative for youth that are at risk of delinquency and delinquent activity. DPI provided targeted outreach to youth who demonstrated risk factors of delinquent behavior. DPI offered a unique opportunity for local clubs to build a program based on their needs with the support of BGCA professionals. DPI programs were structured to provide a support TEAM to at risk youth to combat negative influences. The DPI model is still being used today in numerous Boys and Girls Clubs across the country.

Computers For Youth (CFY)

CFY is a national non-profit organization that seeks to enable low-income children to succeed in school by improving their at-home learning environment. CFY's programs are designed to enhance the educational resources available in children's homes, improve parent-child interaction around learning at home and help teachers connect classroom learning with the home.

The 2008 ESAF grant supported the California expansion of CFY's Take IT Home program. The Take IT Home program provides participating sixth grade families with a free computer designed as a home learning center, educational software titles, Internet access at reduced cost, bilingual web content, Family Learning Workshops that teach parents and children how to best utilize their computer systems, technical support from CFY's bilingual help desk and additional training.

Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund

Established within one week of the attacks on September 11, 2001, the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund's purpose is to provide education assistance for post-secondary study to financially needy dependents of those people killed or permanently disabled as a result of the terrorist attacks and during the rescue activities relating to those attacks. The Fund has already provided millions of dollars in scholarship support, and will continue to provide education assistance through the year 2030. ESAF made a generous donation to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund in 2002 to support the 9/11 relief efforts.

Just Think Foundation

Just Think teaches young people to lead healthy, responsible, independent lives in a culture highly impacted by media. They develop and deliver cutting-edge curricula and innovative programs that build skills in critical thinking and creative media production. Just Think teaches young people media literacy skills for the 21st century. They have been successfully creating and delivering in school, after school and online media arts and technology education locally, nationally and internationally since 1995.

In 2002 ESAF supported "September 11th: Reflecting, Responding, Helping and Healing" in New York City and Washington, D.C., to help communities with youth affected most by the events of September 11th. ESAF supported additional education training in Boston and Los Angeles in 2003.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

JDRF is the leader in research leading to a cure for type 1 diabetes in the world. It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide. JDRF was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with juvenile diabetes – a disease which strikes children suddenly, makes them insulin dependent for life and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. ESAF donated to JDRF's Fund-A-Cure campaign in 2001.

Mothers Against Violence in America (MAVIA)

MAVIA was a nonprofit organization whose goal was to reduce youth violence through grassroots advocacy and student-driven educational programs. MAVIA established SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) with 100 chapters in schools of all levels. They collaborated with elected officials and industry representatives to enforce ratings, gun safety and education. MAVIA received a grant in 2001 to support the expansion of the SAVE program in middle and high schools in six states and to provide training and leadership development for the SAVE program at the University of Michigan.

Save the Children

Save the Children's mission is to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children in need. They seek to ensure that children in need grow up safe, educated and healthy, and better able to attain their rights. They provide a wide range of programs including training new mothers with prenatal care, supplying life-saving immunizations for young children, building schools in developing countries and improving literacy and nutrition for children living in rural poverty in the U.S.

ESAF awarded a special Hurricane Katrina relief grant to Save the Children in 2006 to assist the hundreds of thousands of displaced children. Save the Children set up schools, camps, childcare and counseling centers throughout the Gulf Coast.

Starbright World - Coping with Chemo

ESAF sponsored the creation of Coping with Chemo through the Starbright Foundation, which was incorporated into the Starlight Children's Foundation in 2007. Coping with Chemo later became part of Starbright World, the premier online social network for teens with chronic and life-threatening medical conditions and their siblings. Teens are able to connect with other teens that are at home or in the hospital. Users post pictures, chat, post blogs and bulletins and find new friends in similar situations.

Coping with Chemo is a series of webisodes written by teens with cancer to help other young people find positive ways to deal with the cancer experience. Each webisode addresses a different topic -- getting diagnosed with cancer, side effects of chemotherapy and other treatments, telling your friends and celebrating your last treatment. Coping with Chemo continues to be an important part of Starbright World today.

Starlight Children's Foundation

The Starlight Children's Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and life-altering injuries by providing entertainment, education and family activities that help them cope with the pain, fear and isolation of prolonged illness. Starlight offers a comprehensive menu of outpatient, hospital-based and web offerings that provide ongoing support for children and families from diagnosis through the entire course of medical treatment.

In 2004, ESAF provided a grant to Starlight in support of the Kids Activity Network (KAN). The KAN program was an outpatient program designed to meet the emotional needs of seriously ill children and their families with a variety of events and outings each month throughout the United States. In 2007, the ESAF awarded a joint grant to support distribution of HopeLab's Re-Mission game through the Starlight Starbright Foundation's PC Pals computer network and to cancer camps in the United States.

Street Law

Street Law is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing practical, participatory education about law, democracy and human rights. Through its philosophy and programs, people are empowered to transform democratic ideals into citizen action.

YouthVision was a program that challenged young people to design creative ways to resolve problems by addressing conflict, prejudice or violence in their school or community. It was a collaborative effort of five organizations: the Conflict Resolution Education Network, the Center for Youth as Resources, the National Crime Prevention Council, the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution and Street Law. A grant by ESAF sponsored the participation of youth Advisory Committee members and alumni in the annual "Take the Challenge” YouthVision Leadership Training in Washington, D.C., and of the enhancement of the YouthVision initiative's web strategies in 2001.

Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE)

The National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), Inc. is a nonprofit organization striving to decrease the potential for violence in our schools and communities by promoting meaningful student involvement, education and service opportunities in efforts to provide safer environments for learning. SAVE has a triad approach in addressing violence in schools and communities that includes: 1) conflict management, 2) crime prevention and 3) service to the community. SAVE has 1,800 chapters in 47 states in elementary, middle, high schools, colleges and youth-serving community organizations across the country.

Through ESAF funding, SAVE administered 40 grants to community chapters in 2005 and 2006 to implement violence prevention strategies so that all students will be able to attend schools that are safe and secure, free of fear and conducive to learning. SAVE has received several Inspiration in Prevention Awards from Youth Crime Watch of America and the National Crime Prevention Council. Individual members of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), whose national violence prevention activities were supported in part by the ESAF, have received numerous Presidential Student Service Awards.

Summer Lovin'

The ESA Foundation was the title sponsor in 2005 for Summer Lovin', a high profile fundraising reception to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Back on Track, a tutoring program for low-income children.

The Survivors Fund

The Survivors' Fund was established to support the long-term recovery of individuals and families affected by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack at the Pentagon. The goal of the Survivors' Fund was to help survivors and their families receive the assistance and services they needed to rebuild their lives. The Fund partnered with Northern Virginia Family Service to provide case management services and financial support to 1,051 individuals in 517 families. The Survivors' Fund ceased operations in 2008. ESAF made a donation to the Survivors' Fund in 2002 in support of the 9/11 relief efforts.

Work, Achievement, Values and Education (WAVE)

WAVE's mission is to motivate at-risk youth to complete school, lead productive lives and make a valuable contribution to their communities. For 38 years, WAVE has been an innovator in the youth development field with its dropout prevention, recovery programs and experience working with community organizations and local youth development professionals. Since the organization's inception, WAVE's specially designed curricula and training programs have reached over a half a million youth in 550 programs across 40 states.

In 2004, the ESA Foundation established the ESAF-WAVE Incentive Grants Program to bring WAVE's expertise to needy communities with the goal of helping more school dropouts and potential dropouts change the course of their lives. From 2006 through 2008 ESAF helped WAVE to serve youth and train teachers and youth development professionals working in New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, DC and Florida. In 2007, ESAF also funded an independent evaluation, which clearly showed that WAVE positively influences the developmental trajectories of youth, and as a result, they are able to defy the negative predictions that have been made about their futures.

Did You KNOW?

ESA Foundation Beneficiaries

2010 Grant Recipients

2009 Grant Recipients

Previous Beneficiaries

2010 & 2009 Grant Recipients

Federation of American Scientists*

PAX / Real Solutions to Gun Violence*

ThanksUSA*

Previous Beneficiaries

Mothers Against Violence in America (MAVIA)