Camp Kesem at UCLA

Name

Camp Kesem at UCLA

Legal name

Camp Kesem National

Website

https://campkesem.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's psychosocial support services (cancer-affected families)

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMALAO

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

Keywords

• Children's cancer support
• Grief and bereavement programs
• Summer camp services
• Peer support programs
• Nonprofit youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles, CA

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support free programs for children. The organization runs annual fundraising campaigns including Giving Tuesday and direct donation appeals.
2. Event Fundraising: Community events including galas (Magic Ball), Share the Magic hosted events, and Team Kesem athletic events (runDisney races) generate fundraising revenue.
3. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Donors can include Kesem in wills, trusts, annuities, life insurance policies, and retirement assets. The organization also accepts Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) contributions.
4. Stock and Cryptocurrency Donations: Donors can contribute stock directly through DonateStock.com partnership, avoiding capital gains taxes. Cryptocurrency donations are also accepted through Coinbase.
5. Corporate Matching Gifts: Many employers match employee donations, effectively doubling individual contributions at no cost to the company.
6. Corporate Partnerships: Companies sponsor Kesem programs and events, provide in-kind support, and participate in cause marketing campaigns.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Camp Kesem at UCLA is a college student-led chapter of Camp Kesem National, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, year-round psychosocial support programs — including a free summer camp, virtual clubs, day-long community events, and on-site gatherings — for children ages 6-18 affected by a parent's cancer. Programs are provided at no cost to families and are funded entirely through donations, grants, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Camp Kesem National offers a comprehensive suite of free programs and services for children ages 6-18 impacted by a parent's cancer. The core offerings include Camp Kesem (summer camp), Club Kesem (virtual weekly gatherings), Friends + Family Days, and Kesem Together. These are supported by year-round services including Kesem Gatherings and Better Days day programs, Family Resources educational content, and the Kesem Alumni Network for graduate engagement. The organization is led by college student volunteers at over 120 chapters nationwide who deliver all programs at no cost to families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Camp Kesem: Free summer camp program for children ages 6-18 impacted by a parent's cancer
• Club Kesem
• Kesem Together
• Friends + Family Days
• Kesem Gatherings
• Better Days

Products and services

• Camp Kesem A free week-long summer camp for children ages 6-18 impacted by a parent's cancer, offering recreational activities and peer support in a safe environment.
• Club Kesem Virtual gatherings with weekly themes providing year-round connection, fun, and community for children ages 6-18 who have a parent with cancer.
• Friends + Family Days Day programs offering community connection with new and existing friends for families affected by a parent's cancer.
• Kesem Together On-site community gatherings for children while their parents receive cancer care, providing support during treatment periods.
• Kesem Gatherings (Year-Round / Kesem By Your Side) In-person day programs offered nationwide providing children with year-round access to community activities and support.
• Year-Round Support Comprehensive suite of ongoing support services including weekly virtual gatherings, birthday and holiday cards, grief support, and community programs available throughout the year.
• Family Resources Educational content, guides, and resources for families navigating a parent's cancer diagnosis, including information for parents, children, and educators.
• Kesem Alumni Network Post-college engagement program for Kesem graduates (former student volunteers) to continue supporting children affected by a parent's cancer through volunteering, professional expertise sharing, and organizational support.
• Share the Magic Events Community fundraising events organized by supporters — including alumni gatherings, backyard parties, bake sales, and corporate events — that raise funds for Kesem programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ children served since inception
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center conducted peer-reviewed research published in January 2026 finding that Kesem programs improve well-being and resilience in children impacted by a parent's cancer, validating the organization's evidence-based approach.
• Wonders & WorriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWonders & Worries provides free, professional support for children and teenagers during a parent's serious illness. They co-lead Parent Club calls alongside Kesem, providing guidance, tips, and community for parents navigating similar experiences during their cancer journey.
• TytoCareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTytoCare partnered with Kesem as part of their TytoCareS giveback program, supporting families through product donations and awareness campaigns.
• American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAACY is a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting children and adolescents caring for ill, injured, elderly, or disabled family members. Kesem and AACY partner to raise awareness for youth caregivers on the TODAY Show with Maria Shriver and provide comprehensive support resources.
• DonateStock.comsupportingTechnology or IntegrationKesem partnered with DonateStock.com to enable supporters to make stock donations in 10 minutes or less through a secure portal, streamlining the stock gifting process for donors.
• CoinbasesupportingTechnology or IntegrationKesem accepts cryptocurrency donations through Coinbase, allowing crypto holders to easily and securely donate Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies while avoiding capital gains taxes.
• Double the DonationsupportingTechnology or IntegrationDouble the Donation provides the matching gift search platform that allows donors to find and request employer matching gift programs, maximizing their donation impact.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Large established nonprofit supporting families of seriously ill children with lodging and wraparound services. Comparable as a family-focused pediatric illness support organization competing for the same donor base, though it serves the child's illness rather than the parent's.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: National childhood cancer nonprofit funding research and family support. Comparable because it operates in the pediatric cancer ecosystem, draws on grassroots community fundraising, and competes for corporate partnership dollars.
• National Children's Cancer Society: National nonprofit providing financial, emotional, and educational support to children with cancer and their families. Comparable as an established pediatric cancer family-support organization competing for similar donations and serving an adjacent beneficiary population.
• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer nonprofit providing research, patient support, and advocacy. Comparable as a national cancer-focused organization whose patient and family support programming overlaps with Kesem's referral pipelines and donor base.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Large national nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. Comparable as a brand-recognized children's health charity using volunteer-driven program delivery and competing for similar individual and corporate donor dollars.
• Starlight Children's Foundation: National nonprofit delivering programs, distraction tools, and support to hospitalized children and families. Comparable as a broader pediatric illness support charity overlapping in mission and donor audience, though focused on the child patient.

Direct peers

• Wonders & Worries: Texas-based nonprofit providing free professional support for children and teens during a parent's serious illness. Directly comparable to Kesem because both deliver psychosocial peer-support services to children of seriously ill parents, and Kesem explicitly co-hosts Parent Club programming with Wonders & Worries.
• SeriousFun Children's Network: Global network of free, medically-supported summer camps for children with serious illnesses. Closely comparable as a multi-chapter free summer camp operator delivering psychosocial support through camp experiences, serving a related (child illness vs. parent illness) population.
• Camp Sunshine: Retreat-style camp for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Directly comparable as a free camp-based psychosocial support model for children affected by serious illness, operating under a similar not-for-profit structure.
• Camp Quality USA: Free summer camp program for children with cancer and their siblings. Closely comparable as a free summer camp operator with volunteer-driven delivery and a pediatric illness mission, overlapping directly with Kesem's population and model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/campkesem
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CampKesemNational
• Facebookfacebook.com/CampKesem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-kesem-at-ucla
• Instagraminstagram.com/kesem
• TikToktiktok.com/@kesemnationwide

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Kesem at UCLA