Camp Kesem at University of Richmond

What Camp Kesem at University of Richmond does

Camp Kesem National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 51-0454157) founded in 2000 that delivers free peer-support programs to children and adolescents ages 6-18 who have a parent living with, surviving, or deceased from cancer. The organization operates a portfolio of services including Camp Kesem (a free one-week summer camp), Club Kesem (weekly virtual gatherings), Friends + Family Days, Kesem Together, Kesem Gatherings, Better Days, and year-round support services. Programming is delivered through a decentralized network of 120+ student-led college chapters across the United States, supported by a small national staff team based in Covina, California and a Los Angeles mailing address.

The underlying operating model is volunteer-driven and community-based rather than technology-based; the technology footprint consists of commodity tools including a Camp Management registration portal, Zoom for Parent Club calls, Google Forms for interest forms, and donation infrastructure integrations (DonateStock, Coinbase, Double the Donation). Programs are provided at no cost to families, and funding is generated entirely through contributed revenue streams including individual donations, planned giving and estate gifts, donor-advised funds, stock donations, cryptocurrency gifts, employer matching programs, corporate partnerships, event fundraising (Magic Ball galas, Team Kesem, Share the Magic), and merchandise sales.

As of July 2026 the organization had served more than 100,000 children cumulatively and 10,400 children in its most recent annual period. A January 2026 peer-reviewed publication from Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center clinically validated that Kesem programs improve well-being and resilience in children impacted by a parent's cancer. The 2026-2028 strategic plan targets a 50% increase in programmatic impact and is organized around four pillars: expanding impact, empowering volunteers, welcoming new families, and rallying resources.

Name

Camp Kesem at University of Richmond

Legal name

Camp Kesem National

Website

https://campkesem.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Camp Kesem National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2000, that delivers free peer-support programs — including summer camp, virtual gatherings, and day programs — to children ages 6-18 affected by a parent's cancer, through 120+ student-led college chapters across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Parental cancer support
• Youth bereavement support
• Summer camp programs
• Peer support services
• Family support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond, Virginia

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting children's programming. Donations fund all free programs including Camp Kesem, Club Kesem, and year-round services.
2. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Charitable gifts through wills, trusts, annuities, life insurance policies, and retirement assets. Provides long-term sustainable funding.
3. Donor-Advised Funds (DAF): Donors contribute to DAFs and recommend grants to Kesem. Streamlines charitable giving for donors while providing reliable funding.
4. Stock Donations: Stock donations via DonateStock.com partnership allow donors to avoid capital gains taxes while maximizing charitable impact.
5. Cryptocurrency Donations: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency donations through Coinbase platform, allowing donors to avoid capital gains taxes.
6. Corporate Matching Gifts: Employer matching gift programs where companies match employee donations, doubling individual contributions.
7. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsors support Kesem and its programs through charitable giving programs.
8. Event Fundraising: Share the Magic community events, Magic Ball galas, and Team Kesem athletic events generate donations while building community engagement.
9. Merchandise Sales: Kesem merchandise shop selling branded items to supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Camp Kesem at University of Richmond is a student-led University of Richmond chapter of Camp Kesem National, a nonprofit that supports children ages 6–18 affected by a parent's cancer. The chapter connects families to free summer camp, virtual gatherings, day programs, on-site support, and other year-round peer-support services delivered through Camp Kesem's chapter network.

Product overview

Camp Kesem National operates a suite of free programs supporting children ages 6-18 whose parents have cancer. The core offering includes Camp Kesem (summer camp), Club Kesem (virtual weekly gatherings), Friends + Family Days (in-person day events), and Kesem Together (on-site community gatherings during parent care). Additional programs include Kesem Gatherings and Better Days day programs, along with Year-Round Support services providing ongoing connection through cards, grief support, and family days. Family Resources offers educational content and external referrals. All programs are delivered free of charge through a network of over 120 college student-led chapters nationwide, supported by a national staff team and powered by college student volunteers who receive leadership development training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Camp Kesem: Free summer camp program for children ages 6-18 whose parents have cancer
• Club Kesem
• Friends + Family Days
• Kesem Together
• Team Kesem

Products and services

• Camp Kesem A free one-week summer camp for children ages 6–18 whose parents have cancer, providing recreational activities and peer connection with other children who understand their experience.
• Club Kesem Weekly virtual gatherings organized by age group to provide year-round support, activities, and community for children affected by a parent's cancer.
• Friends + Family Days In-person day programs that give children and families opportunities to build community with new and existing Kesem participants.
• Kesem Together On-site community gatherings that provide activities and support for children while their parents receive cancer care.
• Kesem Gatherings and Better Days Nationwide in-person day programs that give children affected by a parent's cancer year-round access to community activities and support.
• Parent Club Monthly 60-minute Zoom calls, hosted with Wonders & Worries, that provide guidance, tips, and community for parents navigating parenting through a parent's cancer experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Georgetown University peer-reviewed study found Kesem programs improve well-being and resilience in children impacted by parent's cancer
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration5 records

Partnerships

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

• Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Peer-reviewed research collaboration resulting in January 2026 publication demonstrating that Kesem programs improve well-being and resilience in children impacted by a parent's cancer.
• TytoCareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKesem partners with TytoCare as part of their TytoCareS giveback program, supporting children's health through corporate philanthropy.
• American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAACY and Kesem partnered for TODAY Show segment raising awareness for youth caregivers. AACY is dedicated to supporting children and adolescents caring for ill, injured, elderly, or disabled family members.
• Wonders & WorriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKesem partners with Wonders & Worries to host Parent Club calls - support calls for parents on the same day as Club Kesem sessions. Wonders & Worries provides free professional support for children during a parent's serious illness.
• DonateStock.comsupportingTechnology or IntegrationStock donation partnership enabling supporters to make stock donations in 10 minutes or less through a secure portal.
• CoinbasesupportingTechnology or IntegrationCryptocurrency donation platform partnership enabling Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency donations to Kesem.
• Double the DonationsupportingTechnology or IntegrationMatching gift platform integrated into Kesem's website to help donors find employer matching gift programs and maximize their charitable impact.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SeriousFun Children's Network: SeriousFun is a global network of 30+ camps serving children with serious illnesses and their families. Overlap is direct on the free-residential-camp delivery model and pediatric illness population, though SeriousFun focuses on the ill child rather than the child of an ill parent.
• Camp Quality USA: Camp Quality runs free summer camps and year-round programs for children with cancer and their families. Direct peer on free-camp-for-cancer-impacted-children delivery model with a comparable volunteer-driven, regional-chapter structure.
• Camp Sunshine: Camp Sunshine provides retreats for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Comparable on free residential programming for pediatric illness-affected families, though Camp Sunshine is illness-focused rather than caregiver/parent-focused.
• Wonders & Worries: Wonders & Worries provides free professional support for children and teens during a parent's serious illness, and is a direct Kesem partner co-hosting Parent Club calls. Mission, beneficiary population, and free-cost model are nearly identical to Camp Kesem.
• Kids Konnected: Kids Konnected provides friendship, education, and support for kids who have a parent with cancer, including summer camps and peer-support groups. Closest mission-aligned competitor targeting the same bereaved/affected-by-parental-cancer pediatric cohort.
• American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY): AACY supports children and adolescents caring for ill, injured, elderly, or disabled family members. Kesem is an explicit AACY partner and they co-appeared on the TODAY Show; serving an overlapping youth-caregiver population.

Emerging players

• The B+ Foundation: The B+ Foundation funds childhood cancer research and provides financial assistance to families affected by pediatric cancer. Adjacent peer in cancer-impacted family services, with comparable free-program and donation-driven funding model.
• Cancer Really Sucks: Cancer Really Sucks is a teen-focused online community and resource for adolescents whose parent has cancer. Direct mission overlap with Kesem, but delivers primarily digital/community support rather than residential camp programming.

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. Large incumbent operating in the broader pediatric-illness support space with comparable brand awareness, free-to-family delivery, and donation-based funding model.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: RMHC provides housing and family-support services for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment. A much larger incumbent in the broader pediatric-illness family support space with overlapping donor pools and hospital partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 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-university-of-richmond
• Instagraminstagram.com/kesem
• TikToktiktok.com/@kesemnationwide

Compliance2 records

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 Kesem at University of Richmond