FOR PARENTS

The Gold Star Gamers Program

As parents, we want to give our children every chance to grow, smile, and feel safe again — especially after they’ve experienced loss. Watching your child grieve can be heartbreaking, and sometimes, traditional ways of processing emotions aren’t enough.

That’s where Gold Star Gamers comes in. We give kids a supportive space to heal through something familiar and uplifting — gaming. Through our programs, children find connection, confidence, and hope while remembering and honoring their loved one.

The name “Gold Star” comes from families who have lost a loved one in military service. While that’s where our roots lie, we take a broader approach — serving any child who has lost someone who served, whether active duty or veteran.

When your child joins Gold Star Gamers, they’ll discover they’re not alone in their grief. They’ll make new friends, connect with mentors who understand their journey, and — most importantly — have fun. Each program gives them something to look forward to and helps them find purpose again.

How Gold Star Gamers Works

1. Sign-Up Is Simple: Parents or guardians can register their child for an event or summer camp right from our website.
2. Summer Training Camps: Weeklong, virtual or in-person camps led by college-age gaming coaches (who earn credits toward school). Groups are divided by age and focus on teamwork, focus, and skill-building.
3. Mentorship & Connection: Each child is paired with a vetted military gamer from the same branch as their parent or loved one. (All volunteers complete a background check.)
4. Team Bonding: Mentor–child teams meet online or in person to play, connect, and build trust through a shared language: gaming.
5. Competition Day: Teams from each branch compete within their group in games like Fortnite. Branch winners team up with a professional gamer to form three-person squads for the final round.
6. Playing for a Purpose: Champions earn a cash prize donated to a preselected Gold Star charity (e.g., TAPS, USO, Mt. Carmel Center of Excellence, Warrior Gamer Foundation).
7. Lasting Impact: Kids leave with new skills, stronger confidence, and a community that understands—learning resilience while honoring and remembering their loved one.

Win or lose, kids are part of a team, and will learn new skills to build resilience for a lifetime, while finding healthy ways to process their grief and remember their parent or loved one.