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Confused on Extra Life?

Welcome, eagerly inquisitive friends! We are here to answer all of your questions about Extra Life and clarify any of the confusing bits. Let’s get started!

What is Extra Life?

Extra Life is a fundraising program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. People all across the world sign-up online and raise money to support children’s hospitals located in the United States and Canada. Tens of thousands of participants register each year to play games and fundraise annually to help change kids’ health and change the future.

Where did Extra Life come from?

Extra Life began in 2008 as a way of honoring the memory of a little girl from Texas named Victoria Enmon. Since then, Extra Life has raised over $70 million USD that goes directly to children’s hospitals all across the United States and Canada to support charitable care, purchase much-needed equipment, and fund programs and research.

Where does the money go?

Every participant has the choice in what Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals they can support! Simply select your local children’s hospital while signing up and all the money you raise will go toward helping the kids who pass through its doors.  The funds are given to the hospital unrestricted meaning that the hospital can use funds in a way that best serves its programs and needs. At one hospital that might mean helping kids from disadvantaged families to afford treatment. In others, it can help build life-saving facilities and expansions to existing infrastructure. Visit CMN Hospitals’ financials page for additional information.

How do I participate?

If all of that sounds rad and you want to get involved in a similarly rad organization like the rad (maybe too many uses of rad?) person you are – here’s how you can get started!

  1. Register

Head over to extra-life.org and click the signup button. Simply follow the steps and you should be ready to go in a matter of minutes!

  1. Set up your fundraising page

Once you’ve completed the signup process, you can customize your fundraising page. We’ve seen that people who spend a bit of extra time setting up milestones and incentives on their page tend to raise more money than those who skip that element of their page. Also, sharing your personal journey and why you are fundraising for Extra Life, embedding your streaming info, and sharing your social media channels can help potential donors connect with you.

  1. Donate to yourself

This might seem a bit silly, but people are more likely to do something when they see other people have done it before them. Those who self-donate tend to raise up to 10x more than people who don’t. It works!

  1. Spread the word on social media

Once you have done all of that, share that you are participating through your social networks! Tell people what your plans are for fundraising and direct them to your page. Getting attention and communicating your intentions will absolutely help your fundraising efforts. After all, people can only donate and support you if they know what you’re doing in the first place! Download materials for your stream or social media from the Extra Life Media Kit!

Don’t forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!