Comic Relief US and Nickelodeon Power Up the Next Generation With 2nd Annual Kids Relief Campaign
From a Roblox Scavenger Hunt Including Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Games to Real World Volunteerism, Kids Relief Empowers Kids to Become Next Gen Changemakers
Imagine Dragons, Conan Gray, Poppy, d4vd, and Alexander Stewart to Perform in First of Its Kind Star-Studded Roblox Music Festival to Celebrate a Month of Action and Community Service
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| Now through Sept. 20, Comic Relief US and Nickelodeon are empowering kids to be a force for good in their communities through virtual quests on Roblox and real-life missions that inspire community engagement and service. |
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 -- Comic Relief US and Nickelodeon are teaming up for the first time to launch the 2nd annual Kids Relief campaign: "Game to Change the World," an interactive virtual–to–real-world movement that reaches kids where they are and empowers them to become a force for good in their communities. The campaign kicks off today, inviting kids nationwide to embark on virtual quests on Roblox and real-life missions that inspire community engagement and service from Aug. 27 to Sept. 20.
Building off the success of the inaugural campaign, Kids Relief is back on Roblox, with Kids Relief Simulator, a brand-new game featuring special guests Tony Hale (Sanjay and Craig, Rugrats (2021), Veep, Arrested Development), David Tennant (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012), Doctor Who, Good Omens), and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Turning Red, Never Have I Ever, My Little Pony franchise) as benevolent wizards who will send users on epic quests to perform good deeds, earn Karma, and improve the world around them. The game uses adventure and fun to teach the importance of empathy, kindness, and community.
This year the Kids Relief universe expands even further with a Roblox scavenger hunt in partnership with top games, including Nickelodeon's SpongeBob Simulator and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Battle Tycoon, Highland Park RP, and HyperCatz. From Aug. 30-Sept. 13, Roblox users will embark from Kids Relief Simulator to learn the power of doing good by traveling from experience to experience on a quest to do good and collect magical surprises.
To turn in-game altruism into real-world action, Kids Relief, in partnership with Nickelodeon Our World, will offer a fun and easy guide to help kids organize local activities – from backpack drives and collecting school supplies, as well as examples of everyday kids who take action to make their communities a better place.
To celebrate the month of kids taking action, Kids Relief is inviting everyone back to Roblox for a first-of-its-kind star-studded weekend-long music festival starting Sept.13 featuring some of the most exciting artists, including Imagine Dragons, Conan Gray, Poppy, d4vd and Alexander Stewart. This must-see interactive event will include inspiring stories of kids creating real change in their communities.
"Kids Relief isn't just about playing games. We're merging the fun of games with the importance of social impact to help kids to activate their power to drive social change," said Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US. "By joining forces with Nickelodeon and some of today's biggest celebrities, content creators, and musicians, we aim to unlock resources and opportunities for kids, not just in the U.S. but around the world."
"It's wonderful to be able to partner with Kids Relief for this virtual event that helps to make a difference in the real world," said Doug Rosen, SVP, Games and Emerging Media, Paramount. "Nickelodeon is all about empowering kids, and with our Roblox games and Kids Relief, we can inspire them to create change in their communities."
Kids Relief is a Platform and Fundraiser
Kids Relief raises critical funds supporting programs and initiatives that foster empowerment and leadership, provide access to education and create economic growth opportunities that help kids and families break the cycle of poverty for themselves and future generations.
To make an even greater impact and spread awareness of Kids Relief far and wide, top gamers, streamers, and influencers from YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, and TikTok, including Roblox Content Creators Leah Ashe and MeganPlays will promote Kids Relief and fundraise during the campaign.
"From rising societal gaps to climate change concerns, young people are inheriting a world facing unprecedented challenges," said Moore. "While one campaign doesn't solve these issues, we hope to meet kids where they are and start a movement that inspires them to embrace their potential to drive economic and social change, now and for generations to come."
For more information on Kids Relief and the Game to Change the World campaign, visit https://kidsrelief.org.
About Comic Relief US
Comic Relief US is a nonprofit committed to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. It harnesses the power of entertainment to drive positive social change. To date, the nonprofit has raised over $436 million by mobilizing donors of all ages to engage with causes through powerful content-driven campaigns and new digital platforms. Since 2015, Red Nose Day, Comic Relief US' signature campaign to end poverty, has raised over $370 million and positively impacted more than 35 million children and young people in the US and around the world. Donations are invested in grantee partners and social impact programs that ensure children are safe, healthy, educated, and empowered and that address the root causes of poverty in the most impacted communities. Comic Relief US, also known as Comic Relief, Inc., is a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. For more information about Comic Relief US and its impact, visit https://www.comicrelief.org. Follow @ComicReliefUS on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 45th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon is a part of Paramount's (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment brands.
About Paramount Consumer Products
Paramount Consumer Products oversees all licensing and merchandising for Paramount (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by a diverse slate of consumer brands, Paramount Consumer Products' portfolio is based on content from platforms including Paramount+, CBS (including CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution), cable networks (including MTV, Nickelodeon and Showtime), and Paramount Pictures. Additionally, the division operates Paramount Game Studios. With properties spanning animation, live-action, preschool, youth and adult, Paramount Consumer Products is committed to creating the highest quality product for some of the world's most beloved, iconic franchises. To view our range of consumer products and Paramount branded apparel, visit ParamountShop.com.
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It's Time for Kids Relief 2.0
For two weeks, kids across the US can participate in both virtual and real-world activities that promote community involvement and positive change.
At Comic Relief US, we believe in the power of kids to create lasting change. That’s why we launched Kids Relief, a campaign designed to empower kids by giving them the tools and support they need to transform their lives and communities. This year, we’ve partnered with Nickelodeon for the first time to launch the second annual Kids Relief campaign, “Game to Change the World.”
The campaign aims to reach kids where they are, empowering them to become a force for good in their communities through a variety of Roblox experiences, tying them together with an epic scavenger hunt with exclusive rewards. A new experience and adventure will be released daily, sending players off to complete quests that unlock exclusive rewards for their avatars.
The new Kids Relief Simulator on Roblox game features David Tennant (Dr. Who) and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever) as benevolent wizards guiding players on exciting quests that emphasize the values of empathy, kindness, and community. Players earn karma by performing good deeds and helping to improve the virtual world around them.
For two weeks, kids across the US can participate in both virtual and real-world activities that promote community involvement and positive change.Starting from August 30 to September 13, the Kids Relief universe expands further with a Roblox scavenger hunt featuring popular Nickelodeon games like SpongeBob Simulator and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Battle Tycoon. Players will embark on a journey through virtual worlds, learning the power of doing good and collecting magical surprises along the way.
To cap off the Scavenger Hunt starting September 13 through 15, players will be led into the Game to Change the World Music Festival, a dreamscape virtual concert featuring Imagine Dragons, Poppy, Alexander Stewart, d4vd, and Conan Gray with inspiring stories of kids creating change in their communities throughout the concert.
Every child is born with talents, strength, and resilience, but not every child has access to the resources and opportunities they need to realize their full potential. Kids Relief aims to level the playing field for children in underserved communities, providing them with the tools and support necessary to thrive. On August 30th partnership with Nickelodeon Our World, Kids Relief will releasea power pack designed to empower kids to take action for a good cause in their own communities. From instructions for projects that beautify neighborhoods to supporting kids fighting cancer. , the power pack includes fun and easy activities to inspire kids to make a difference and drive positive change.
You can support kids build individual resilience, support parents, and caregivers, and create local economic opportunities. Giving to Kids Relief helps support initiativess that break the cycle of poverty and create lasting change for the next generation.
Donate today and become a part of the Kids Relief movement.
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From the Associated Press:
Comic Relief US launches new Roblox game to help children build community virtually and in real life
NEW YORK (AP) — The notion that online gaming could help players develop charitable habits seemed bold when the anti-poverty nonprofit Comic Relief US tested its own multiverse on the popular world-building app Roblox last year.
As philanthropy wrestles with how to authentically engage new generations of digitally savvy donors, Comic Relief US CEO Alison Moore said it was “audacious” to design an experience that still maintained the “twinkle” of the organization that’s behind entertainment-driven fundraisers like Red Nose Day.
But the launch was successful enough that Comic Relief US is expanding the game this year. Kids Relief’s second annual “Game to Change the World” campaign features a magical new Roblox world, an exclusive virtual concert and a partner in children’s television pioneer Nickelodeon.
The goal is to instill empathy and raise money through a scavenger hunt across various realms, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Users travel through portals to collect magical tools that will improve their surroundings. The net proceeds from in-game purchases will be donated.
The community-building inherent in collaborative gaming is intended to subtly encourage off-screen acts of kindness.
“It’s a little bit like me helping you, you helping me — all of us together. I love the idea of doing that in a game space,” Moore told The Associated Press. “It’s not meant to be a banner ad or a sign that says, ‘Do Good.’ It’s meant to be emblematic in the gameplay itself.”
Nickelodeon is also promoting an instructional guide for kids to start their own local projects in real life such as backpack drives.
Quests are delivered from wizards voiced by “Doctor Who” icon David Tennant, “Veep” star Tony Hale and “Never Have I Ever” actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. One wizard invites users to “embark on an enchanted journey to awaken the heart of your community.”
The campaign will culminate in a weekend music festival on Roblox beginning Sept. 13 that features rock band Imagine Dragons, whose lead singer Dan Reynolds has focused his philanthropy on LGBTQ+ causes. Virtual acts also include Conan Gray, Poppy, d4vd and Alexander Stewart — all musical artists who got their big breaks on YouTube.
Moore said she was “blown away” by last year’s numbers. The inaugural game has been played for over 32 billion minutes and one performance received the highest “concert thumbs up rating” ever on Roblox, according to Comic Relief US.
Charitable donations are increasingly being made through gaming, according to business strategist Marcus Howard.
The fit comes naturally, he said, considering that young people value experiences such as gaming over the material possessions that past generations might have bought at a charitable auction.
“It just makes sense,” Howard said.
But he finds that partners must overcome the negative stigma associated with online chat rooms. To its credit, Howard said, Roblox combines the creativity of popular competitor Fortnite with less “toxicity” because of its emphasis on cooperation over competition.
Comic Relief US kept in mind the need to build a game that appeals to both children and their parents, Moore said.
To navigate that tricky balance, the nonprofit has adopted a mindset that she credits Nickelodeon with originating: Include parents in the conversation but speak to their children.
“Good games are good games,” Moore said. “Good games that make me feel good are good things.”
This image provided by Comic Relief US shows the virtual realm of the nonprofit’s new ‘Game to Change the World.’ The wizard-led quests, which take place on the social gaming platform Roblox, are part of Comic Relief US’ second annual Kids Relief campaign to build charitable habits among children while raising funds to fight poverty. (Comic Relief US via AP)
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Originally published: August 28, 2024.
Comic Relief US press release courtesy of PR Newswire.
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