Bits 4 Bites combines gaming and giving to support local and global hunger relief ministries

Do you have a talent or hobby that you want to use for the kingdom? David Sanchez, director of Ethics and Justice for the Christian Life Commission (CLC), answered ‘yes’ to this question. 

Sanchez, like many others during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020, turned to video games as a source of entertainment and quickly gained an audience by “speedrunning” games on Twitch, an online service that focuses on video game live-streaming. Sanchez explained that speedrunning is “where you try to beat the game as quickly as possible.” 

He said he was inspired by the connection between speedrunning video games and charity events to “show the younger generation that the things we enjoy, we can use for God’s glory as well.”

“I started streaming that online and enough people were watching me that I started making money from it. Some people make their livelihood from Twitch, but I didn’t need to do that, so it was just the thought of, ‘Well, I don’t need this extra money. What can I give it to?’ and it was just really obvious with my new job, ‘Oh, this money can go to the Hunger Offering!’” said Sanchez. “It’s already in the culture and mindset of speedrunning to [stream] for charities, and there’s a lot of different events, and so I just thought, ‘Well, I’m already [speedrunning] just making money from Twitch, but what if I also do it as a marathon to try to raise money?’” 

Using a hobby for the Hunger Offering  

Sanchez’s first time streaming for donations, an event he called “Bits4Bites,” was in August 2021. He raised $2,500 for the Texas Baptists Hunger Offering. Since then, Bits4Bites has raised a substantial amount for the offering. 

“This past year, we raised over $4,700 which is like 1% of the whole budget,” explained Sanchez. “To raise that much from something like this was unexpected and really cool. It also translates to a lot of crafts being made!” 

Sanchez also produces hand-made items for donors following the stream.

On Oct. 10 and 11, Sanchez is bringing Bits4Bites back for its fourth year, streaming 18 hours of games on his Twitch channel.

He said the streaming will start at 9 a.m. on Oct. 10 with retro games such as Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog to showcase speedrunning for the first couple of hours. 

“It's fun ‘cause when you’re just trying to beat it really quickly, you make a simple mistake, and then you have to go all the way back to the beginning and start over. There’s a lot of fun deaths that happen, so it’s very entertaining, comedic value,” said Sanchez.

In the afternoon, Sanchez said he would pick one of his favorite games and play through it slowly, then recruit some gaming friends to join his livestream to chat and showcase more video games. 

“It's a chance to show off lots of different games, but I also like using it as a way to show people that there are a lot of artistic, gorgeous games out there,” said Sanchez. “When you think of video games, it’s not all just shooting games or Fortnite or things like that, or even Minecraft. There’s a lot of cool games out there, so I definitely try to show that off as well.” 

In the evenings, Sanchez picks up “games that I’ve been speedrunning for a while, and I’m really good at, and then I usually end with my favorite game of all time, which is called Ecko,” that he plays from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. when Bits 4 Bites comes to a close. 

“Thank you” gifts and Kingdom impact

All of the proceeds raised through Bits4Bites go to help support faith-based food ministries in Texas and around the world, such as the Bucket Ministry, a ministry that gives families in Africa a bucket that purifies river water. That gift is followed by several weeks of follow-ups, giving workers an opportunity to share the gospel and disciple those who receive it.

Sanchez explained that the donations could also “easily fund one of our many projects on its own,” such as supplying peanut seeds to a Baylor graduate who “wanted to start peanut farming as a cash crop to help families in Sierra Leone, where he's from.”

Sanchez’s goal for Bits4Bites this year is to raise $10,000 for the Hunger Offering. 

“Thank You” gifts will be offered at different levels of giving. Those who give $10 will receive a “thank you” postcard with a handwritten note and drawing from Sanchez on the back. Those who give $25 will receive a Bits4Bites2024 Magnet and postcard. $50 donors will receive a mini Power Up Star, magnet and postcard. $100 donors will receive a custom Mario-style hat, magnet and postcard. And those who donate $250 will receive a jumbo Power Up Star, magnet and postcard. 

Sanchez said he is thrilled about this year’s handmade incentives and looks forward to delivering them to his Texas Baptists co-workers who give. 

“I wait until I get them all [made] and bring them on the same day. It kinda feels like Christmas,” said Sanchez. “I get to play Santa Claus and just hand out all these [gifts].”

Donations can be made now through the end of the Bits4Bites Twitch stream on Oct. 11. To make a gift to the Hunger Offering, visit txb.org/bits4bites. 

To stay up-to-date on future events and learn about the effect the Hunger Offering has around the world, subscribe to the CLC Today and Hunger Offering newsletters at txb.org/subscribe.