SUPPORT OUR MISSION
Every donation, partnership, and share helps OUR MISSION
For many kids, gaming was how they stayed connected to a parent during deployments. Now, it’s a bridge to healing and hope.
Gold Star Gamers helps children who’ve lost a military parent rebuild confidence, community, and joy through play. We connect them with mentors, peers, and military gamers who remind them that they’re not alone—and that their stories still matter.
Help Turn Loss Into Legacy
Because our duty continues — to the children of those who gave everything.
More than 100,000 children have lost a parent who served in the military. Many live far from extended family, move frequently, and struggle to form lasting friendships. The result can be deep isolation — and for too many, thoughts of suicide born from grief and disconnection.
But there’s hope.
Gaming gives these kids a way to connect, express themselves, and rebuild confidence in a world that often feels uncertain. Ninety-one percent of kids today are gamers — and when guided by mentors who understand their journey, that shared space becomes more than play. It becomes a lifeline.
At Gold Star Gamers, we turn that lifeline into lasting support—helping kids realize they’re not alone, their stories matter, and their futures are still wide open.
>90,000
Kids Have Lost A Parent Who Served Since 9/11
97% Fathers | 3% Mothers
60%
Of kids who’ve
lost a parent
consider suicide
40% experience symptoms of PTSD
91%
of these Kids identify
as Gamers
>40%
Of these kids struggle with
Low Mental
Well-Being
According to a study of
military dependents by Homefront
How Your Donation Powers Gold Star Gamers
$25
- Keeps our Discord community moderated, secure, and online for a full week
- Covers bot moderation tools and safety infrastructure that protect kids 24/7
$50
- Covers a month of secure Discord operations for one child
- Funds background checks and onboarding materials for volunteer mentors
$100
- Keeps our Discord community running for 30 days
- Funds real-time moderation so kids aren’t navigating grief alone—or unprotected
$250
- Provides a child with games, peripherals, or accessibility tools
- Supports a mentor-led gameplay session designed around connection, not competition
$500
- Purchases a gaming console (or equivalent setup) for a child who doesn’t have access
- Funds multiple supervised play sessions that build routine and trust
$750
- Sends one child to a coding, game design, or STEM-focused camp or program
- Covers enrollment, materials, and support so cost isn’t the barrier
$1,000
- Builds or refurbishes a gaming-ready PC for a Gold Star child
- Includes software, games, and setup support so the system is actually usable
$2,500
- Supports a small cohort of kids for an entire season
- Covers mentorship hours, moderation, programming, and crisis escalation coverage
$5,000
- Funds a full community program block
- Keeps platforms running, mentors trained, kids supported, and families informed
$10,000+
- Sponsors long-term stability
- Underwrites multiple kids, multiple mentors, and the infrastructure that keeps everything safe, consistent, and human