A new gaming trailer will help local nonprofit My Kingston Kids connect with city youth while providing an ongoing fundraising opportunity.

My Kingston Kids will unveil their new Imagine Gaming Trailer at an event Saturday sponsored by the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce and Radio Kingston.

My Kingston Kids provides youth programming and youth-oriented events like the annual Children’s Day Parade. My Kingston Kids’ offerings include programs in reading, art, photography, cooking, fashion and more.

But founder Frank Waters said getting kids engaged can be a challenge. That’s where the Imagine Gaming Trailer comes in. Video games are deeply entwined with youth culture, with popular titles like Fortnite and Call of Duty drawing in hundreds of millions of players. Twitch streams – where viewers watch top gamers play — are among the most popular content on the internet. Waters said he hopes the new gaming trailer could harness the power of video games to draw local youth into other types of programming.

“We have great programs … but sometimes it’s not as easy to get kids involved directly like that. You have to find a middle ground on things that they’re really interested in,” said Waters. “And the two things that I’ve found [are] video games and celebrities. And we don’t have any celebrities, so video games were the next best thing.”

The concept of a gaming trailer — essentially a rolling arcade packed with gaming technology — has been around for a while, but Waters said he believes My Kingston Kids’ is the first in the region. The used model purchased with a $35,000 loan from Rondout Savings Bank measures 24 feet and includes seven 55-inch 3D LED screens and 14 gaming stations. Two additional screens can be mounted outside the trailer to allow for outdoor gaming. Each gaming station is outfitted with PS5, Xbox XS and Nintendo Switch consoles, as well as access to an Android gaming platform with thousands of games, like Pac Man, dating back to the original video game arcade era. The trailer is also equipped with virtual reality technology that can support educational programming like drawing classes.

In addition to supporting My Kingston Kids’ free programming, Waters said the trailer would also be available to rent for parties and events, creating a new revenue stream for the nonprofit

“We can bring it in right now as a form of entertainment to different festivals and events and block parties,” said Waters. “Because we don’t have one in our region, this is a great opportunity to bring something so enticing and engaging to our community.”

The unveiling was set for this Saturday, Sept. 30, but due to weather, the My Kingston Kids Imagine Gaming Trailer ribbon-cutting event hosted by the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, has been postponed.