Last year, the Child's Play charity raised a record $2.2 million in donations to help provide hospitalized children with toys, games, and books. The organization kicked off its 2011 charity drive yesterday with hopes of helping even more kids in need.

　　Krahulik and Holkins host the Child's Play Charity Dinner Auction each year. A number of events are slated through the end of 2011. The fifth annual Desert Bus for Hope event set from November 18 to 23 is among the biggest, with a lifetime total $400,000 raised. Umloud!, a community-driven rock band concert event is set for December 8 in San Francisco.

　　The 6th Annual Charity Dinner Auction will take place on December 8 in Bellevue, WA, and it will be hosted by Penny Arcade's Mike "Gabe" Krahulik and Jerry "Tycho" Holkins. Individual and 10-person table tickets are available for $145 and $5,000, respectively. Donations of gaming-related memorabilia, art, and other auction-ready items are being accepted.

　　Outside of the events, donations can be submitted in several ways. Child's Play says the easiest way to donate is by texting "GAMERS" to 50555 for a one-time direct $5 donation. The charity also accepts PayPal, or for those who would like to donate to a specific hospital, facilities' Amazon wish lists are available for perusal via a map on the Child's Play website.

　　Beyond individual donors, Child's Play attracts corporate sponsorship from companies ranging from Microsoft and Nintendo to Valve and Google. Through 2010, the charity had brought in just under $9 million in donations.

　　For more on the organization or to donate, visit the official Child's Play website.

　　[CORRECTION]: This article originally listed the per-table price for the Child's Play Charity Dinner Auction as $1,000. We regret the error.