Activision Blizzard Announces the Call of Duty Endowment to Benefit Veterans

If you’re a gamer, you know that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available as of midnight last night. But if you’re an American you also know that Veterans Day is tomorrow, November 11.

Acknowledging that this hotly anticipated title will likely be among the biggest releases this year, publisher Activision Blizzard has established the Call of Duty Endowment (CODE), a non-profit benefit corporation that will direct resources to groups helping American soldiers transition to civilian careers. The publisher will use proceeds from sales of the game to fund the endowment.

At the November 10 launch of the initiative in Washington, DC, Activision Blizzard pledged to raise and donate millions of dollars to bolster awareness of veteran unemployment through CODE. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 500,000 unemployed veterans between the ages of 18 and 64 currently living in the United States.

Additionally, CODE announced a $125,000 grant made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), an organization that offers career services to veterans with disabilities, especially those with spinal cord injuries. The grant money will help underwrite the cost of a new PVA Vocational Rehabilitation Services Center in Boston.

As pumped as I am about Modern Warfare 2, I’m even more excited knowing that the money I’ve spent on it will benefit the real-life heroes on whom this franchise is based. For more info on CODE, visit callofdutyendowment.org.