Camp Hope

What Camp Hope does

Camp Hope is a U.S. non-profit, 501(c)(3) Christian summer camp that has operated since 1994, hosting boys and girls ages 7-17 for overnight camp experiences at a single site in Litchfield, Connecticut, in the Berkshire Hills roughly two hours north of New York City. The camp's programming is anchored in a Biblically based "I'm Third" philosophy (God First, Others Second, I'm Third) and is staffed by over 100 seasonal Christian college counselors drawn from across the country, against a small (1-10) core year-round team. Activities include water tubing, swimming, basketball, soccer, and campfires, with the residential program designed to foster spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and social growth.

The business is event-driven and seasonal, with revenue derived from three streams: camper registration fees (specific tuition not publicly disclosed), merchandise sales through an integrated e-commerce storefront on camphope.com (branded t-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, and 30th anniversary commemorative items priced $14-$43), and tax-deductible donations accepted via PayPal. The organization has no proprietary technology platform and operates its entire digital presence via a Squarespace website. Customer acquisition is highly relationship-driven, relying on alumni referrals, partner ministry referrals (Bring!, Dream Center Hartford), an Alumni Connect program, and a Substack publication ("Camp Postings"). The organization also extends its facility use to churches and partner organizations for retreats, layering a secondary utilization channel onto the core summer camp operation.

Name

Camp Hope

Legal name

Camp Hope

Website

https://camphope.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Camp Hope is a 501(c)(3) Christian summer camp in Litchfield, Connecticut, hosting overnight programs for boys and girls ages 7-17, funded by camper tuition, donations, and merchandise sales, and supported by over 100 seasonal Christian college counselors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Summer Camp Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Christian camping
• Overnight youth camp
• Youth ministry programs
• Nonprofit camp services

Headquarters

HQ city

Litchfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Camper Registration Fees: Fees collected from families for overnight summer camp programs for children ages 7-17
2. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling Camp Hope branded apparel including t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and 30th anniversary commemorative items. Prices range from $14 for kids t-shirts to $43 for camp hoodies.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donors can contribute through PayPal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Camp Hope runs Christian sleep-away summer camps in Litchfield, CT for boys and girls ages 7-17, providing faith-based overnight programming staffed by 100+ Christian college students each summer. The organization also sells branded merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts) and partners with urban ministries such as Bring! and Dream Center Hartford to bring city youth to the camp experience.

Product overview

Camp Hope is a Christian summer sleep-away camp for boys and girls ages 7-17 located in the Berkshire Hills of western Connecticut. The organization operates as a single unified offering centered on its residential summer camp programs. Its product portfolio includes the core overnight camping experience as well as a merchandise line featuring branded apparel sold through its online store. The merchandise collection consists of t-shirts, hoodies, and crewneck sweatshirts available in adult and youth sizes, with standard designs and special 30th anniversary edition items. The camp also accepts donations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Overnight Christian Summer Camp Program
• Camp Hope Branded Merchandise
• Urban Ministry Outreach Camp Program

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bring!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban ministry partnership focused on serving young people who may not have access to many resources in their communities. Bring! connects urban youth with Camp Hope's peaceful, Christ-centered environment.
• Dream Center - HartfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ministry partnership serving young people in Hartford through Camp Hope's urban outreach mission. Supports kids encountering hope, joy, and faith in a nurturing setting.
• Camp WonposetminorOthersRelated camp organization listed as part of Camp Hope's mission network. Both organizations share similar Christian camping missions.
• Lenox Hill Neighborhood House (Historical)minorOthersHistorical partner from 1954 when Lenox Hill Neighborhood House ran a summer camp at the property where 250 children enjoyed hiking, swimming and other activities. This historical connection established the foundation for Camp Hope's current location.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Pine Cove Christian Camps: A larger established network of Christian summer camps operating multiple locations across the southern US. Comparable faith-based overnight camp programming serving children and youth, but at greater scale and broader geographic reach than Camp Hope.
• Forest Home (Forest Home Ministries): A Christian retreat and camp ministry in Southern California offering residential summer camps and year-round retreat programming. Comparable in Christian mission focus and facility-based programming, but operates at larger scale and serves broader retreat markets.
• Kanakuk Kamps: A long-established Christian summer camp network founded in 1926, operating multiple locations in Missouri. Comparable in mission-driven overnight camp programming for Christian youth, but operates as a multi-location brand with significantly greater scale.
• YMCA Camps: A network of overnight and day camps operated under the YMCA umbrella, serving similar age ranges with multi-activity programming. While broader and less mission-driven than Camp Hope, they are comparable in residential summer camp offerings and price-conscious family market.

Direct peers

• Camp Barnabas: A Christian-based summer camp that serves children with disabilities and chronic illnesses alongside typical campers. Comparable in faith-based residential programming and mission focus, with similar mid-sized non-profit operational structure.
• Camp Miniwanca: A residential summer camp in Michigan operated by the American Youth Foundation, offering multi-activity programming for youth. Comparable in traditional sleepaway format, multi-activity programming, and character-development mission focus.
• Camp Wonposet: An affiliated Christian camp organization explicitly linked on Camp Hope's website under 'Our Missions.' Both camps share similar Christian camping missions, residential formats, and faith-based program structures, making it the closest peer in the dataset.
• Eagle Brook Camp: A Christian boys' summer camp in Wisconsin with comparable overnight residential programming for ages 8-16. Shares similar faith-based philosophy, multi-activity programming, and mid-sized non-profit operational structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CampHopeCT

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Hope