For those of you who have been following the news, middle America has been hit by Hurricane Harvey, one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent memory. As of writing, the worst hit spot has been Houston, Texas. Lives have been lost, families are separated, and simple supplies like food, water, and clothing are rapidly becoming scarce.
But where there is suffering, there is also love and compassion. And gamers show a lot of love.
The first to show their support is Bungie. In an official statement on their website, the studio that brought us Halo and Destiny have stated they are combining the efforts of their charity organization, the Bungie Foundation and Direct Relief in order to focus on helping the most vulnerable, extending the reach of relief efforts, and bolstering critical front-line responders.
And they are calling on all of their most dedicated Guardians to show their support as well. In addition to heading to Direct Relief’s website to directly contribute to the effort. Bungie is offering a special deal on their store. By buying a special Bungie Foundation Collectable Pin, all proceeds of which will go to the Bungie Foundation to help the Houston effort, you will also get a download code for a special emblem to use in Destiny 2 as a special way to show the rest of the Destiny community that when people called for help, you answered.
As easy as it is to label Destiny as a game where you just shoot aliens, one line from the store says it best: Coming to the aid of those in need is what makes a Guardian a Guardian.
But even if you aren’t a part of such passionate communities, there is still a way you can help bring relief. Operation Supply Drop is another charity organization made up of local resources and aids in the Texas area. With a supply line in place from Austin through San Antonio that then connects to multiple forward operating bases in and around Houston and cities across South Texas, OSD is moving fast to make sure the victims of Hurricane Harvey are getting the help they need.
In addition to checking their local Facebook page for alternate ways you can help, you can also directly contribute to their efforts on their official donation page.
If you have been staring at your television wondering how you can help Houston recover, here you go.
