Magic Made Possible
Behind every smile, joyful cheer and core memory made at Hole in the Wall is a community of donors, volunteers and staff making it all possible. The impact of your support is immeasurable, but we’ll try to shed some light on how “a different kind of healing”® is replacing fear and isolation with joy and friendship thanks to you.
Healing Feeling
When Teddie arrived at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, she was nervous and a little shy. But something magical happened when she realized she wasn’t “the kid with cancer” anymore—she was just a camper, surrounded by other kids who understood her journey.
This is the magic of Hole in the Wall: a place where every child has their own journey, where differences bring us together instead of setting us apart, and where lifelong friendships are formed around shared experiences of courage, resilience and pure childhood joy.
By the Numbers
Program Impact Research
There’s no way to measure smiles, but research and evaluation at Camp aims to ensure the safety and happiness of our campers, the smartest use of our funding, and positive outcomes from our programs. The research and evaluation efforts center around Camp’s Core Values to promote continuous innovation and program quality as well as promote the safety, well-being and positive development of campers and families.
The research and evaluation efforts also address two primary areas: satisfaction with and outcomes related to the Camp experience, with satisfaction defined as the extent to which campers, families, volunteers, event participants and staff are satisfied with programmatic elements such as activities, registration, facilities, etc.; and outcomes defined as the personal, social and other developmental changes that might occur in campers, families, volunteers and event participants as a result of Camp and relate to the “different kind of healing” that can occur through Camp.
Latest Research & Evaluation Reports
“In the final analysis, we’ll be about as good as what people make us. And we’ll need a lot of help to get this realized. The only thing we can do is to find the people in the community that feel the way we do.”
– Hole in the Wall Founder Paul Newman
Fundraising from the Beginning
Paul Newman never wanted The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp to be reliant on him or any one funding source. While he and Newman’s Own were instrumental in building Camp, they contributed only half of the funding needed to cover the initial costs of construction. The other half was generated through a fundraising campaign.
Today, while Newman’s Own remains a loyal friend and generous donor, the majority of Hole in the Wall’s funding needs each year are met by the generosity of thousands who have followed in Paul’s philanthropic footsteps. As this compassionate community has grown, so has Camp’s ability to expand its service reach, from 288 campers during our first summer to now thousands of children with serious illnesses and family members throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We are grateful to everyone who continues to help bring Paul Newman’s dream of “a different kind of healing”® to exciting new places.
Rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator, designating The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp an official “Give with Confidence” charity.
Given the highest ranking for dedication to transparency, Camp holds a Candid Platinum Transparency seal.
The Camp community has shared their inspiring stories about Hole in the Wall and earned a spot on the Top-Rated List with Great NonProfits.
A consistent “A” rating for the cost of fundraising by the American Philanthropic Institute.
Our Financials
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp’s operating reserve is restricted as a fund-functioning-as-endowment. The purpose of the fund is to support Camp’s philanthropic mission in perpetuity and fortifies Camp’s long-term financial sustainability. Camp’s budget is balanced through the combination of annual contributions and up to 5% of the draw from Camp’s fund-functioning-as-endowment. This very intentional construct is directly responsive to the growing and urgent needs of children with serious illnesses and their families. Annual registration and compliance with the State of Connecticut Attorney General’s Charity Division and adherence to other states’ charity registration laws and procedures as applicable is also performed.
