Gamers Gather to Support Wounded Warrior Project
The donors who support Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) and its mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors come from all walks of life. Most recently, a group of video game streaming friends from PoonGoonTV, a channel on YouTube, embarked on a 24-hour gaming marathon to raise awareness and funds for those WWP serves.
“Video game streaming has become a major form of entertainment, and it’s something me and my friends are very new to,” said Justin Oren, the channel founder. “We’ve only been doing this for four months and wanted to do something to make a difference, so we decided to raise some money for a charity.”
Justin’s channel has a small, tight-knit community that comes together over their shared love of gaming – and according to Justin, quite a few of them are veterans as well.
“A surprisingly large number of people who watch our stream are overseas or deployed to the Middle East,” Justin said. “That was a big reason we chose Wounded Warrior Project to be our donation recipient. I’m a young guy, and I think a lot of people my age don’t understand what veterans fought and struggled for, and that’s not right. These are honorable men and women who did something good and noble, defending our country. And some of those people need help. I looked to the charity that would help them and let them not be forgotten.”
WWP programs assist injured veterans with mental health, physical health and wellness, career and benefits counseling, long-term care for the most seriously wounded, and connecting warriors with one another and their communities. This is especially important, as isolation is one of the most significant struggles wounded warriors deal with after serving their country. It can be difficult knowing how to overcome that challenge and rekindle bonds similar to those formed in the military.
“I think there’s a certain familiarity with gaming,” Justin said. “When they served overseas, or even here at home, veterans enjoyed video games as part of their down time to relax. It’s a connection they have to their service, and to each other.”
