Camp Casey

What Camp Casey does

Camp Casey is a Michigan-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 by Molly Reeser following the death of Casey Foote, a child with cancer Reeser met while teaching horseback riding lessons at Michigan State University. The organization delivers cost-free therapeutic horseback riding programs to children under 18 with cancer, sickle cell disease, and other life-threatening illnesses, along with their families. Its core program portfolio comprises Horsey House Calls (mobile visits that transport horses to a child's home), Cowboy Camp Outs (all-inclusive family weekend retreats at partner dude ranches), Outlaw Outings (single-day recreational events for alumni families), and Horses in the Hallway (classroom-based social-emotional education delivered with a social worker and therapy horse). Program reach expanded from approximately 700 people served in 2015 to over 1,000 in 2016 following the West Michigan launch, with cumulative coverage spanning Southeast Michigan, Grand Rapids, and Oakland County.

Operationally, Camp Casey runs with a small core staff of five named full-time employees plus seasonal program workers and an unpaid volunteer base (Side-Walkers, Craft Captains, Top Chefs). There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery is logistics-driven through a truck-and-trailer fleet, partner ranch venues (Black River Farm and Ranch, The Highlands at Harbor Springs Resort, Maybury Riding Stable), and a network of equine therapists. Beneficiary acquisition is community- and referral-led, routed through hospital social workers at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Sparrow Hospital, and partner nonprofits such as Gilda's Club and Kids Kicking Cancer.

The revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no program fees charged to families. Funding sources include the annual Gold Rush Gala (presented by Northwestern Mutual), the Cowbell Pub Crawl, Pour a Stein brewery nights, the Run to Ride 5K, corporate sponsorships (Northwestern Mutual, Whole Foods Market, Flexible Plan Investments, Waterfall Jewelers, Bernstein Law Firm), retail giving programs (AmazonSmile, Kroger Community Rewards, Rite Aid KidCents), merchandise (plush horse sponsorships), and in-kind supply donations via an Amazon Wish List. The organization is founder-led, with Molly Reeser serving as Executive Director, and is governed by an independent board with no parent entity.

Name

Camp Casey

Legal name

Camp Casey

Website

https://camp-casey.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Camp Casey is a Michigan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that delivers cost-free therapeutic horseback riding programs to children with cancer, sickle cell disease, and other life-threatening illnesses and their families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Equestrian Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Therapy & Therapeutic Wilderness Programs (THAAAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Equestrian & Horse Trekking Centers (THAAAKAL)

Keywords

• Therapeutic horseback riding
• Pediatric cancer support
• Nonprofit youth services
• Family respite programs
• Equine-assisted activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Farmington Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Camp Casey operates entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Revenue comes from direct donations, event fundraising (Gold Rush Gala, Cowbell Pub Crawl), and corporate sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Camp Casey delivers cost-free, in-person therapeutic horseback riding programs to children under 18 diagnosed with cancer, sickle cell disease, or other life-threatening illnesses, as well as their families. Its signature Horsey House Calls program brings a horse, equine therapists, and activities directly to a child's home, supplemented by weekend ranch getaways, one-day outings, and classroom empathy education. All programs are funded by donations and provided at no cost to qualifying families.

Product overview

Camp Casey is a non-profit organization offering cost-free, in-person therapeutic horseback riding programs to children with cancer, sickle cell disease, and other life-threatening illnesses. The organization operates four core programs: Horsey House Calls (delivering camp experiences directly to children's homes), Cowboy Camp Outs (weekend family retreats at dude ranches), Outlaw Outings (one-day recreational activities for previously served families), and Horses in the Hallway (classroom-based social-emotional education programs). Camp Casey also raises funds through merchandise programs (plush horse sponsorship, supply wish lists), signature events (Gold Rush Gala, Pour a Stein fundraising nights), and a volunteer program requiring no horse experience. The organization was founded in 2004 and is entering its 20th year of operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Horses in the Hallway: Social emotional educational program that travels to classrooms of Camp Casey's campers to offer lessons on empathy with a social worker and therapy horse.
• Horsey House Calls
• Cowboy Camp Outs
• Outlaw Outings
• Hero Herd

Products and services

• Horsey House Calls A mobile program that delivers a horse, equine therapists, and an afternoon of activities directly to the homes of children too sick to attend summer camp. Each visit includes a horse grooming and safety lesson, individual horseback rides, team-building games, hand-made horse treats, and a pizza party. Provided at no cost to children with cancer, sickle cell disease, and other life-threatening illnesses across Michigan.
• Cowboy Camp Outs All-inclusive weekend family getaways at partner dude ranch resorts such as Double JJ Ranch and The Highlands at Harbor Springs Resort, including private accommodations, horseback trail rides, campfires, an outdoor movie night, and pool or hot tub access. Designed for the whole family to enjoy together and meet other families facing similar circumstances.
• Outlaw Outings One-day recreational activities throughout the year inviting previously served Camp Casey families to enjoy horseback riding, pumpkin bowling, tractor rides, pumpkin painting, face painting, and seasonal celebrations. Held at locations such as Maybury Riding Stable.
• Horses in the Hallway A social-emotional educational program that travels to classrooms of Camp Casey campers, delivering lessons on empathy with the help of a social worker and a Camp Casey therapy horse. Includes horse grooming, safety lessons, empathy education, cancer education led by a social worker, group service projects, and arts-and-crafts activities.
• Plush Horse Sponsorship A donation product through which supporters purchase a plush Camp Casey horse for a $30+ donation or sponsor a horse for a $15+ donation. Each plush horse purchased covers the cost of a plush horse for a Camp Casey camper.
• Supply Wish List Program An Amazon Wish List donation program allowing supporters to provide essential program supplies including paint, hand sanitizer, cowboy hats, bandanas, and gift cards for pizza and gas to support cost-free programs.
• Gold Rush Gala Camp Casey's annual signature fundraising event held during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, featuring live music, dancing, a grand silent auction, food stations, and recognition of supporters and volunteers. Held at Roostertail in Detroit.
• Pour a Stein for Camp Casey A fundraising event held at partner breweries where portions of beer sale proceeds benefit Camp Casey. Registrants typically receive commemorative glass beer steins and drink discounts.
• Volunteer Program Formal volunteer program supporting Horsey House Calls and other programs. Volunteers must be 16 or older with a valid driver's license, pass a background check, and be in good physical health. Roles include Side-Walkers, Craft Captain, and Top Chef positions and require no horse experience.
• Golden Spurs Club A donor recognition program enabling supporters to make ongoing financial contributions that directly support Camp Casey's cost-free programs for children with cancer and life-threatening illnesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000+ individuals served in 2016 season through 35 Horsey House Calls
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwestern MutualcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Presenting sponsor of the Gold Rush Gala. Northwestern Mutual has been a long-standing corporate supporter, including hosting the Punch Bowl Social event to kick off the #12Neighs for the Holidays campaign.
• Whole Foods MarketcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Selected as charity recipient for the One Dime at a Time program from July-September 2016. Customers can donate their 10-cent bag refund to Camp Casey when using reusable bags at West Bloomfield, Troy, Rochester, and East Lansing locations.
• Helen DeVos Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership to serve children from West Michigan. The hospital connects families with Camp Casey programs, with 14 families served through this partnership in 2017.
• Black River Farm and RanchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDude ranch partner for Cowboy Camp Outs. Provides luxury cabin accommodations, trail rides, and rodeo experiences for Camp Casey families.
• The Highlands at Harbor Springs ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner resort for 2026 Cowboy Camp Out. Provides all-inclusive weekend accommodations including horseback riding, campfires, outdoor movie night, pool, and hot tub.
• Maybury Riding StablecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation for Trail Ride Cook Out and Outlaw Outings. Provides trail rides through Maybury State Park for Camp Casey families.
• AmazonSmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazonSmile donation program where shoppers can select Camp Casey as their charity and Amazon donates a portion of purchases.
• KrogerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKroger Community Rewards program allows shoppers to link their Shopper's Card to Camp Casey, with Kroger donating based on shopping activity.
• Rite AidminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKidCents program through Rite Aid's Wellness+ Rewards. Shoppers can round up purchases to benefit Camp Casey.
• The Barre CodeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFitness studio that hosted Sunset Sweat fundraiser event with proceeds benefiting Camp Casey.
• Metro Detroit SpartansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports organization co-hosting fitness events benefiting Camp Casey.
• Roostertail (Detroit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for the Gold Rush Gala signature fundraising event.
• Flexible Plan InvestmentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Gold Rush Gala.
• Waterfall JewelersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Gold Rush Gala.
• Bernstein Law FirmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Gold Rush Gala.
• Royal Oak Optimists ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity organization sponsoring the Trail Ride Cook Out event for Camp Casey families.
• Emagine TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntertainment venue hosting volunteer appreciation events including bowling nights for Camp Casey volunteers.
• Fleece & Thank YouminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit providing blankets for Camp Casey events. Campers receive blankets and participate in a sharing activity.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: National 501(c)(3) granting wishes to children with critical illnesses, including cancer and sickle cell disease. Highly comparable mission, fundraising model (events, corporate partners, individual donors), and referral flows from children's hospitals.
• Starlight Children's Foundation: National nonprofit delivering programs (games, hospital entertainment, wish fulfillment) to seriously ill children and their families. Comparable mission, hospital partnerships, and donation/event-based revenue.

Direct peers

• SeriousFun Children's Network: Global network of camps and recreation programs serving children with serious illnesses and their families, founded by Paul Newman. Direct peer: same population (medically fragile children), free programming, and similar overnight-camp format (Cowboy Camp Outs).
• Victory Junction (Victory Junction Gang Camp): Year-round camp in North Carolina serving children with chronic medical conditions, founded in memory of Adam Petty. Closely comparable free, in-person residential recreation programming for seriously ill children.
• Camp Quality USA: Network of free summer camps and year-round programs for children with cancer and their families. Directly comparable mission, camper base, volunteer-driven model, and donation-funded structure.
• Sunshine Kids Foundation: National nonprofit providing free, in-person recreational activities, trips, and events for children with cancer. Overlapping target population (pediatric oncology) and event-based programming model.
• Reins of Life (Equine Therapy Indiana): Indiana-based nonprofit providing equine-assisted therapy to people with disabilities including children with medical needs. Directly comparable equine-assisted therapeutic recreation model with hospital/school referrals.
• National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT): Bay Area nonprofit offering equine-facilitated therapy and adaptive riding to children with disabilities and illness. Closely comparable therapeutic horseback riding modality, donor funding model, and medically referred camper base.

Emerging players

• Project HEAL (Horses Equine-Assisted Learning): Specializes in equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning programs for at-risk youth and families, overlapping with Camp Casey's Horses in the Hallway school-based social-emotional programming.

Regional players

• Double H Ranch (Paul Mitchell's): Respite and adaptive winter/summer camp in Upstate New York for children with serious illnesses. Directly comparable free residential camp programming for medically fragile children, operating in a different geography from Camp Casey.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=69jMdXcuIyw
• Facebookfacebook.com/CampCasey
• TikToktiktok.com/@campcasey
• Xx.com/campcaseymi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-casey

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp Casey