Aerial view of a rural camp with several cabins, a circular red building, open fields, and dirt paths surrounded by dense forest.

Where it All Began 

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was founded in 1988 by Paul Newman with one simple premise in mind: to provide opportunities for children with serious illnesses to experience the transformational spirit and friendships that go hand-in-hand with camp. 

Paul Newman

A legendary actor and visionary philanthropist, Paul Newman founded The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in 1988 so children with serious illnesses could just be kids, and “raise a little hell” while experiencing diverse and transformational friendships that go hand-in-hand with Camp. Paul’s innovative spirit, creativity and playfulness remain at the heart of all Hole in the Wall programming. His legacy is carried on each year by the thousands of donors, volunteers, staff and other friends who have made his dream their own.

A group of smiling people, including children and adults, pose together outdoors. The man in the center wears a straw hat and sunglasses around his neck. Trees are visible in the background.
Founder Paul Newman With the Kids

Join a Legacy Worth Celebrating 

When you pledge a gift to Camp in your estate plan, your commitment helps share our founder Paul Newman’s dream of “a different kind of healing” with the next generation of children facing serious illnesses. Join The Founder’s Society and become part of a celebrated group of legacy-makers.

Learn More

Camp History

  1. Newman announced his plans to build The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

    Black-and-white photo shows Paul Newman and hospital staff discussing plans for a childrens camp. Other images show hospital leadership in conversation at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Newsletter text and headlines are visible. September 17,1986

  2. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Ashford, Connecticut.

    Newspaper clipping with a photo of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward holding a shovel at a groundbreaking event, with an article about Newman starting a camp for ill children in Ashford, Connecticut. December 10, 1986

  3. Pearson Pond dedicated in honor of founding medical director, Howard A. Pearson, M.D. 

    Fireworks burst in the night sky above a calm pond. In the foreground, a wooden sign with yellow letters reads Pearson Pond. Trees and water are visible in the background. June 4, 1988

  4. When the campers first arrived, they found a kid-sized old west setting inspired by “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” and filled with traditional summer camp programs adapted so that children with physical and medical limitations could participate. The accessibility of the programs along with a significant, yet unobtrusive medical presence allowed campers to embrace possibilities and safely challenge perceived limitations. Among kindred spirits facing similar challenges, they escaped isolation and found a community defined by acceptance. 

    A group of people, including adults and children, walk on a dirt path toward historic-looking buildings surrounded by trees, with one child riding on an adults shoulders. June 18, 1988

  5. Life Magazine published a feature about Camp: “Paul Newman’s Dream.” 

    LIFE magazine cover featuring the headline Paul Newmans Dream with photos of children playing and eating. The issue focuses on a camp for ailing kids and highlights Paul Newmans involvement. September 1988

  6. The healing power of Hole in the Wall extended to families with the introduction of a summer session for the healthy siblings of diagnosed Campers.  

    A large group of people, mainly children, walk along a dirt path at a camp with cabins and tents in the background, surrounded by trees under a partly cloudy sky. June 1989

  7. Camp hosted the first annual Fandango Benefit Gala performance.

    Fandango Benefit Gala
    A smiling person in sunglasses and a green jacket stands at a wooden lemonade stand with flowers, cups, and bottles. A sign above reads LEMONADE 5¢ in red letters. Trees and rocks are in the background. September 14, 1991

  8. Parents got in on the fun when Camp introduced the first Parent and Caregiver Retreat (formerly known as COPE) weekend.

    Parent Programs
    A group of people at an indoor party laugh and raise their hands in a circle, celebrating together. Some wear colorful hats. The room is warmly lit, and everyone looks joyful and engaged. July 24-26, 1992

  9. Hole in the Wall received LEGO prize for outstanding dedication to children. 

    Four colorful shirts—red, yellow, dark green, and purple—are laid out side by side. Each shirt features part of the phrase THE HOLE IN THE WALL GANG CAMP printed across the front. October 8, 1996

  10. Camp had officially served more than 10,000 children through its overnight programming.

    A group of boys pose together outdoors, some smiling and some making playful gestures, with a large inflatable gorilla and trees in the background. December 2000

  11. One charismatic counselor, armed with paints and craft projects, ventured into a Connecticut hospital and proved that the fun and friendship experienced at Camp were portable. That is how the Hospital Outreach Program began.

    Hospital Outreach Program
    A young boy in a hospital bed and a man sitting nearby are smiling and giving each other a high five in a cheerful hospital room setting. September 2002

  12. A haven where love abounds. Home of smiles, laughter and many sweet dreams — Lulu’s Lodge was dedicated in honor of the mother of longtime Camp friend, Andy Crowley with rooms to house seasonal staff, volunteers and Camp families.

    Connecticut Location
    Four people cut a large yellow ribbon onstage under a LuLus Lodge banner. The stage has a dark curtain and flowers. The group appears focused and celebratory during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. May 7, 2005

  13. Hole in the Wall is named one of the five best charities for kids by Goodhousekeeping Magazine. 

    A diverse group of performers, including one in a wheelchair, stand onstage holding hands and raising their arms to an applauding audience in a warmly lit theater. December 2005

  14. The Hospital Outreach Program expands to provide programming in partner clinics and hospitals in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. 

    Hospital Outreach Program
    A smiling young girl in a hospital room shows her hand covered in purple paint while wearing a pink shirt. Medical equipment and a bed are visible in the background. September 2007

  15. Summer programming grows to include Adolescent and Young Adult programs with the introduction of the Hero’s Journey® Program.

    Hero’s Journey® Program
    Smiling person in a red helmet holds a blue rope outdoors with trees and crates nearby; another person, blurred in the background, stands behind them. July 2008

  16. Another annual tradition begins: Camp Challenge began as a fundraising bike ride through the scenic quiet corner of Connecticut..  

    Camp Challenge
    A man wearing a red helmet and sunglasses rides a bike, smiling and waving. A woman follows behind him, also biking. Both are on a tree-lined road with a metal guardrail. September 2009

  17. Camp concludes its 25th summer and kicks off a year-long anniversary celebration with Natalie Merchant’s “Wonder” music video featuring Hole in the Wall Campers. 

    A large group of children sit on a wooden floor in a circle, attentively listening to two people playing guitar and singing at the front of the room. September 2012

  18. CampOut, our mobile outreach program, launched bringing the fun and friendship of Camp directly into camper homes and communities.  

    A colorful van with a forest and campfire mural, logo with eagle, and text A Different Kind of Healing is parked outside on a sunny day near trees and a stone wall. July 2013

  19. Hospital Outreach Program continues to expand and now includes six states including New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

    A smiling young person wearing glasses and a Philly Football shirt stands indoors near others, holding a medical device with a flamingo balloon decoration attached. People around them appear engaged and cheerful. September 2013

  20. The first annual CampWeek at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is held. From woodshop car races to slime day, arts & crafts and memory-making, the week brings the spirit of summer camp to children unable to leave the hospital and experience the magic of overnight Camp. 

    Children make crafts at a table with supplies, guided by two adults, under a colorful Camp Week CHOP sign decorated with trees. Everyone appears engaged and festive. July 2014

  21. Hole in the Wall hosted its first Rare Disease Family Camp. 

    Two people sit close together outdoors, smiling at the camera. The adult has glasses and a colorful plaid shawl; the child wears a black t-shirt with a graphic. Flowers and greenery fill the background. June 2015

  22. The first Young Adult Conference is held in Ashford, Connecticut. 

    Young Adult Conference
    A group of people cheer enthusiastically indoors. A woman in front, wearing a beanie and blue sweater, raises her hands and smiles widely. Others around her also smile and raise their hands, showing excitement. May 2017

  23. Henry’s High Hopes Course and Audrey’s Airlines is dedicated, named for the parents of Camp friend Mike Kowlakowski. This beloved program area, affectionately dubbed “the tower” by Campers, brings the exhilaration of flight to the magic of summer, proving to campers that they are capable of so much more than they thought possible. 

    Three adults cut a red ribbon with oversized scissors at an outdoor event; one person holds a bouquet of flowers. Trees and a few other people are visible in the background. June 2017

  24. The newly built Young Adult Lodge is dedicated. Home to Champion’s Journey and Junior Staff participants, the Young Adult Lodge includes a common area surrounded by a horseshoe of individual rooms for participants to call home while at Camp.

    Tour the Camp
    A group of people sits around a large U-shaped table in a modern, well-lit meeting room, while one person stands and presents in front of them. May 2021

  25. The healing bedside programming of Hospital Outreach expands to include a new region: the D.C. Metro.  

    A young child in a hospital gown smiles while playing with pink slime at a table, surrounded by adults and another child. The child has a medical bandage on their arm. November 2022

  26. Two years after a fast-moving fire destroyed the original arts and crafts buildings, the Creative Complex ribbon cutting celebrated how the Hole in the Wall community rallied to rebuild and continue bringing the magic of Camp to life.

    Tour the Camp
    Seven people stand in front of a colorful mosaic wall, cutting a red ribbon at an indoor ceremony. The wall says, Camp is Magic. Everyone appears happy and celebratory. March 2023

  27. First Bereavement Camp is held at the Connecticut location, bringing community and connection to families who have lost a child to serious illness. 

    Large group of people sit in a circle inside a gym, with candles lit in the center, colorful mats on the floor, and murals on the walls in the background. April 2023

  28. Ground is broken for the second Hole in the Wall location in Queenstown, Maryland, with special thanks to the Aspen Institute, which donated its historic Wye River conference center. 

    Maryland Location
    Five people in colorful attire smile while holding shovels and digging into soil at a groundbreaking ceremony on a lawn, with a brick building in the background. August 30, 2023

  29. The first Family Camp is held at Hole in the Wall Gang Camp-Maryland. More than 50,000 square feet of buildings were renovated to provide a welcoming space, along with state-of-the-art medical care, for children and families facing serious illnesses. 

    Family Camps
    A diverse group of children and adults stand in a circle, following instructions and making hand gestures on a wooden floor with a large camp logo that says The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.. May 8-10, 2026
A group of people, casually dressed, sit and stand on the wooden steps of a rustic cabin surrounded by greenery, smiling and posing for a group photo.

Get Involved

A smiling child in a blue romper gives a high five to an adult in a lavender shirt outdoors, with green trees and a building in the blurred background.

Come Be Part Of The Magic

Volunteer
A smiling runner raises a fist in celebration, wearing a blue tank top and headband, as she nears the finish of a marathon. Other runners and spectators line the sunlit street with autumn trees.

Have A Good Laugh While Doing Good

Fundraise
A child and an adult wearing gloves and a mask smile while coloring with pencils at a table. The child wears a hospital gown and there is a Play-Doh container nearby.

Help Provide The Joy of Camp

Donate
A young girl with a walker smiles as another girl holds a microphone for her on stage. A third girl in a blue dress stands behind them. All appear happy, performing or participating in an event.

Make the Magic Happen

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