Who was there: Avery Alix from PopCap Games moderated a panel featuring Zach Wigal and Stefani Shea from the Gamers Outreach Foundation; Christopher "Frost" Sheffield from the RadioActive Nerd; and Dr. Mark Barlet, Steve Spohn, and Dr. Ben Herz from the AbleGamers Foundation.

　　What they talked about: The unique panel offered attendees a look at a handful of charities currently working to help various groups in need, and how anyone has the power to make a difference in some small way.

　　The panel kicked off with Alix having each of the panelists offering some background on their charity. Wigal and Shea discussed their work on the Gamers Outreach Foundation, which brought the pair, who live in different states, together. Wigal, the founder of the organization, began his work through a charity Halo 2 tournament that led him to pursue fundraising through gaming events. Shea began her philanthropic efforts by sending video game care packages to the military when her husband was deployed to Afghanistan, as well as sending portable game systems to hospitals for sick children. The pair eventually joined forces under the Gamers Outreach Foundation to amplify their efforts.

　　Meanwhile, Frost shared his experiences supporting various charitable organizations. Instead of starting his own charity, he instead directed his efforts to raising awareness of existing outfits.

　　Finally, Doctors Barlet and Herz, along with Steve Spohn discussed their work with the AbleGamers Foundation, which works to bring greater accessibility to digital entertainment space so that people with disabilities can gain a greater quality of life. The need for their work is especially clear for Spohn, who suffers from a rare type of muscular dystrophy called spinal muscular atrophy, a progressive disease that weakens muscles impairing motor functions.

　　AbleGamers' efforts have ranged from working to have color-blind options included in World of Warcraft to helping a gamer suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease make use of a laser pointer to continue playing games even as his mobility was lost. Spohn noted the importance of games to the mental health of disabled gamers as the social interaction and sense of community derived from gaming helped fight off depression by improving their overall quality of life.

　　The panelists shared stories of their efforts to make a difference and spread awareness while dealing with challenges around the acceptance of gaming in general. Whether it was Wigal's recollections of the negative attitudes toward his first Halo 2 tournament or Barlet and Herz's noting the medical community's skepticism of gaming as a viable tool for rehabilitation, it's clear that there's a fair share of ignorance around the benefits of gaming for the disabled that presents significant challenges. Spohn's anecdotes around the benefits gained from something as simple as being able to play games with friends made it clear that there's much good to be had from gaming for the disabled. The group also noted that while the notion of volunteering may initially seem intimidating to some, there are resources for each of the organizations on the panel that can help provide direction and options.

　　Quote: "We all have the capability to contribute in a meaningful way using games as a medium that reaches into people's lives in a unique and special way."--Avery Alix

　　Takeaway: The panelists wanted attendees to leave the panel with the clear sense that "help" can take any number of different forms and that anyone is empowered to make a difference. Whether it's a person's time (by actively volunteering or simply raising awareness with friends or through social media) or money (via financial donations if they're able), all people have options if they want to make a difference.