Camp Kesem National
Camp Kesem National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs free summer camp and year-round support programs, delivered through 120+ college campus chapters, for children ages 6-18 affected by a parent's cancer.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Camp Kesem National does
Camp Kesem National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 51-0454157) founded around 1999-2000 and headquartered in Covina, California, that delivers free, year-round support programs to children ages 6-18 affected by a parent's cancer. The flagship offering is Camp Kesem, a free summer camp, augmented by a multi-program portfolio that includes Club Kesem (virtual monthly events), Friends + Family Days, Kesem Together (on-site gatherings during parent treatment), and year-round support services such as grief resources and family programming. The organization reports serving 10,400 children in the past year and over 60,000 children historically across 120+ college campus chapters nationwide.
The operating model is built on a volunteer labor force: college student chapter leaders and counselors (80% personally impacted by cancer) are recruited, extensively trained, and embedded across 120+ university chapters to deliver programming locally. The technology stack is modest and largely third-party, consisting of a camp management and registration platform (campmanagement.com) and donation processing via Classy/GoFundMe with payment infrastructure from PayPal, Adyen, and Stripe. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities are indicated.
Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving — direct individual donations, corporate partnerships and matching gifts, peer-to-peer "Share the Magic" fundraising events, merchandise sales (including a 25th anniversary calendar), and emerging channels such as donor-advised funds, stock, and cryptocurrency. The organization reports 251-500 employees (a figure that likely includes part-time student staff) and is led by CEO Jay Stilwell. Distribution leverages healthcare provider referrals, word-of-mouth, multi-channel social media, content marketing (Kesem Stories blog), and high-profile earned media, including TODAY Show and NBC Nightly News appearances. A January 2026 Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center peer-reviewed study in Supportive Care in Cancer formally validated the program's impact on children's well-being.
Camp Kesem National firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Camp Kesem National
- Legal name
- Camp Kesem National
- Website
- https://kesem.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Camp Kesem National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs free summer camp and year-round support programs, delivered through 120+ college campus chapters, for children ages 6-18 affected by a parent's cancer.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Camp Kesem National industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Support Services
- NAICS
- Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA), Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)
Keywords
Where Camp Kesem National is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Camp Kesem National business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission to provide free programs for children affected by a parent's cancer
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate giving programs including matching gifts and sponsorship of events and programs
- Event Fundraising: Share the Magic peer-to-peer fundraising events hosted by supporters
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of Kesem merchandise including the 25th anniversary calendar and branded items
- Planned Giving: Donor-advised funds, stock donations, cryptocurrency donations, and planned giving options
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | All programs are provided at no cost to families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Camp Kesem National product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Camp Kesem National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free programs and services for children ages 6-18 whose parents have cancer. Its flagship offering is Camp Kesem, a free summer camp, supplemented by year-round support including Club Kesem (virtual events), Friends + Family Days, Kesem Together (on-site gatherings during parent care), and year-round family resources, all delivered through a network of 120+ college student-led chapters nationwide.
Product overview
Camp Kesem National operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization offering a suite of free programs for children ages 6-18 whose parents have cancer. The flagship offering is Camp Kesem, a free summer camp, supplemented by year-round programming including Club Kesem (virtual monthly events), Friends + Family Days (community day events), Kesem Together (on-site gatherings during parent care), and Year-Round Support services (family resources, grief support, cards, and day programs). All programs are led by trained college student volunteers and are provided free of charge to families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Camp Kesem: Free summer camp program where kids ages 6-18 can be kids again, run by college student volunteers.
- Club Kesem
- Kesem Together
- Kesem Better Days
- Kesem Gatherings
Products and services
- Camp Kesem
Quantifiable outcome
- Kesem programs improve children's well-being, sense of belonging, emotional expression, coping skills, and confidence
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Camp Kesem National
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Camp Kesem National technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Camp Kesem National partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer CentercoreMulti-year research partnership resulting in a peer-reviewed study published in January 2026 in Supportive Care in Cancer journal. The study validated that Kesem programs improve children's well-being, sense of belonging, emotional expression, coping skills, and confidence.
- American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY)corePartnership to raise awareness for youth caregivers on the TODAY Show with Maria Shriver. Both organizations advocate for children who serve as caregivers for family members with chronic conditions.
- TytoCareminorTytoCareS giveback program where Kesem receives support as part of TytoCare's corporate giving initiative.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Camp Kesem National competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Camp Kesem National social profiles
Digital presenceCamp Kesem National compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Camp Kesem National financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Camp Kesem National leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Camp Kesem National funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Camp Kesem National M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Camp Kesem National
What does Camp Kesem National do?
Camp Kesem National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free programs and services for children ages 6-18 whose parents have cancer. Its flagship offering is Camp Kesem, a free summer camp, supplemented by year-round support including Club Kesem (virtual events), Friends + Family Days, Kesem Together (on-site gatherings during parent care), and year-round family resources, all delivered through a network of 120+ college student-led chapters nationwide.
Is Camp Kesem National a public or private company?
Camp Kesem National is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Camp Kesem National founded?
Camp Kesem National was founded in 1999. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Camp Kesem National based?
Camp Kesem National is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Camp Kesem National make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, event Fundraising, merchandise Sales and planned Giving.
Does Camp Kesem National have an API?
No public API is recorded for Camp Kesem National.
What industry is Camp Kesem National in?
Camp Kesem National's product category is Youth Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMALAO, Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills), with a secondary code of EDAMALAA, Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports). Its NAICS code is 721214 and its SIC code is 7000.