ESA Nite To Unite For Kids Raises $800,000

"A Nite to Unite for Kids," the annual children's charity dinner held by the philanthropic arm of industry trade body The Entertainment Software Association, raised $800,000 at this year's event, says the ESA. The ESA Foundation will use the proceeds from the dinner, auction and casino night to make grants to a wide variety of organizations that benefit children in need -- this year's beneficiaries include Web Wise Kids, Hope Lab, ThanksUSA and the One Economy Corporation. Last year, the event raised $750,000 for children's charities. "This outpouring of support from the video game industry this year brings the total giving to the ESA Foundation to $11 million," says ESA president and CEO Michael Gallagher. At the sold-out dinner, which took place October 13 at San Francisco's Westin St. Francis Hotel, Ubisoft chairman and CEO Yves Guillemot was honored as 2009 "ESA Champion," for his long years of forward-thinking in the industry.