Hospital Outreach Program

HOP is in five regions across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic – Boston, Central New England, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia and D.C. Metro. 

Click here for a full list of locations in each region.

Hospital Outreach Specialists come from a range of backgrounds including child development and education. They complete a comprehensive training with a curriculum focused on developing skills for child-first programming and family-centered interactions.

Training also includes developing adaptive fun and exciting activities for the medical setting. 

HOP works year-round in the hospital, four days a week Tuesday through Friday, typically from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. depending on the location. For more information about the schedule at a specific site, please talk with your child life specialist. 

To learn more about upcoming events at a location we serve, or about regularly scheduled sessions and one-on-one visits, contact your child life specialist. For any other questions, please contact Michele “Gill” McKenna. 

Hospital professionals play an important role in helping children and families discover the joy, connection and possibility that define the Hole in the Wall experience. 

There are many ways to partner with Hospital Outreach: 

• Share information with colleagues, patients and families who may benefit from Camp programs. 
• Partner with the Hospital Outreach Program team to bring bedside, group or special event programming to your hospital.  
• Collaborate with Child Life and psychosocial care teams to identify opportunities that support patient engagement and normalize the hospital experience through play.  
• Explore professional partnerships that help us better serve children living with serious illness and their families.  

Whether you’re a child life specialist, nurse, physician, social worker, therapist, or administrator, we welcome opportunities to work together in support of children and families. 

Hospital Outreach programming is designed for children, teens and young adults, living with serious illness and receiving care in medical settings. Because our approach centers on play, choice and connection, there is no single “ideal” participant. Our programming is most developmentally appropriate for ages 4 and older. 

Patients, siblings and family members may benefit from a HOP visit when they: 

• Need a break from the routines and stress of hospitalization.  
• Are experiencing isolation or limited opportunities for social connection.  
• Could benefit from creative expression, imagination or playful engagement.  
• Have an interest in activities, games, arts, science, storytelling or other Camp-inspired experiences.  
• Would enjoy opportunities to connect with peers, family members or trusted adults through shared activities.  

Programs are designed with flexibility in mind and can often be adapted for different ages, energy levels, developmental stages and physical abilities. HOP is not a clinical intervention prescribed for the treatment of a diagnosis but an opportunity for joy, agency and connection

The Hospital Outreach Program and Child Life professionals share a commitment to supporting the emotional well-being of children and families during healthcare experiences. 

Child Life specialists bring expertise in child development, coping, preparation and psychosocial support. HOP complements this work by creating opportunities for play, creativity, friendship and moments of possibility within the hospital environment. 

Together, these partnerships help: 

• Normalize the healthcare experience through play. 
• Provide children with meaningful choices and opportunities for self-expression.  
• Foster connection and belonging.  
• Create positive memories during challenging times.  
• Support family engagement and shared experiences.  
• Extend the spirit of Camp to children who may not yet be able to attend overnight programs.  

While medical care focuses on treating illness, HOP creates opportunities for children to focus on being kids. Through laughter, creativity, accomplishment and connection, children experience moments that remind them of their strengths, interests and identities beyond their diagnosis. 

Hospital Outreach is designed to support children and families, but the benefits often extend to healthcare teams as well. 

HOP programs can: 

• Bring positive energy and engagement into care environments. 
• Offer children meaningful activities during hospital stays or appointments.  
• Create opportunities for staff to see patients in a different light — focused on interests, talents and personality rather than illness.  
• Support a culture of child- and family-centered care.  
• Strengthen partnerships between hospitals and community organizations committed to patient well-being.  

Many staff members tell us that seeing moments of joy, confidence, creativity and connection among patients can be meaningful for them as well. 

Many people are drawn to volunteering with children in hospitals because they want to make a difference in a child’s day. Because hospital environments require specialized training, infection prevention protocols, and close coordination with healthcare teams, volunteer opportunities are generally not available with direct bedside programming or inpatient playroom groups. Volunteering with Hospital Outreach provides an opportunity to make a positive difference in many children’s day by supporting large-scale programming and preparing materials that help bring Camp experiences to children and families. 

Volunteer opportunities include: 

• Support special events and large group programs hosted in partnership with hospitals.  
• Assist with activity preparation, event logistics and participant engagement during community-based or hospital-wide events.  
• Assemble activity kits, craft materials and program supplies that are distributed to children and families.  
• Help prepare resources that allow Camp-inspired experiences to reach children in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare settings.  

Find the next volunteer opportunity for you on our volunteers page.