Camp Holiday Trails, Inc.
A Camp for Children and Teens with Medical Needs
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Children and teens with chronic medical conditions are often restricted from attending summer camp programs, and they spend a great deal of time in medical facilities rather than outdoors. Our focus on community, inclusion, developing independence (and fun) makes our summer program and our year-round family camp programs impactful for life.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Camp Holiday Trails
A traditional rustic camp at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central VA, Camp Holiday Trails (CHT) incorporated as a nonprofit in 1973 and since that time has provided over 10,000 kids with medical needs the opportunity to experience a positive camp experience. Our Campers, age 5-17, are welcomed from throughout the United States with the majority coming from the Mid-Atlantic region.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
American Camp Association - Member 1973
Diabetes Education and Camping Association 2015
Childhood Oncology Camping Association International 2021
Center for Nonprofit Excellence 2005
Alliance for Camp Health 2023
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Average youth self-rating of functioning and coping skills
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Camp Holiday Trails
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Average parent/caretaker rating of child/youth functioning and coping skills
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Camp Holiday Trails
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients who report feeling less isolated
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Camp Holiday Trails
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of chronically ill patients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Camp Holiday Trails
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of children receiving medical services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Camp Holiday Trails
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
GOAL 1: To encourage campers and families to learn to manage their own healthcare, improve interpersonal skills and have fun providing a positive camp program and caring community.
GOAL 2: To encourage staff and volunteers to develop leadership skills, foster a sense of community and have fun by providing a positive camp program and caring community.
GOAL 3: To encourage medical volunteers to improve their medical skills, work as a team and have fun by providing a positive camp program and caring community.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Activities: What we do on a daily basis. What activities do people at CHT engage in related to each goal?
• 1 & 2-week summer camps
o Arts & crafts, archery, athletics, canoeing, challenge course, drama/music, swimming, woodcraft, team-building …
o Activities to build leadership, confidence, resilience, better manage healthcare, avoid risky behavior, etc.
o Respite for families
• Family Camp weekends
• Leadership training & activity planning skills for counselors and volunteers- CPR/1st Aid, child development, etc.
• Medical Lectures for our Med Team and medical care (for campers learning to be medically independent)
• BD cards, e-newsletter, social mediaupdates
• Special events – Hope Grows Celebration, 5K and 5-Miler races and more
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Resources: Resources (or tools) we have to use in reaching our goals. (i.e. what we need money for…)
• Summer Camps & Family Camps
• Camp activities
• Traditions, songs, rituals
• Facility - 16 bldgs, 73 acres
o Challenge course, pool, pond, stables, Med Korner, etc.
• Staff, volunteers
• Curriculum and training
• Medical Team
• Med Korner, medical supplies and eqpt.
• Community partners
• Funding
• Reputation/credibility
• Curriculum, activities, training
• Relationships with Board, donors, etc.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Outcomes: What changed for our constituents as a result of all this activity and productivity? How are their lives different? What knowledge or skills do they walk away with? (see Data Inventory for more.)
• Campers develop skills to manage their own healthcare.
• Campers develop social skills.
• Campers have fun.
• Counselors and volunteers develop leadership skills.
• Counselors and volunteers think of CHT as a supportive, connected community.
• Medical volunteers improve their medical skills.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Camp Holiday Trails, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 10/17/2023
MD Nancy McDaniel
UVA Pediatric Cardiology, retired
Term: 2022 - 2023
Dearing W Johns
University of VA Hospital, retired
Susan Smith
St. Anne's-Belfield Sch, retired
Alison Okerlund
University of VA Hospital
Kellogg Leliveld
UVA, Darden School
Elizabeth K. Turrisi
ResilienceMaker Strategies, LLC
Tom Freshwater
retired
Hannah Mahaffey Stevens
Martin Horn Construction
Nancy McDaniel, MD
University of VA Hospital, retired
Clarissa Hull McSweeney
Western State Hospital
Elizabeth Sutton Longwell
University of VA Hospital
Dave Ogens
HealthBridge LLC
Melissa Wolf Riley
UVA General Counsel
Claire Johnson
The Wool Factory
Julie Zielinski. MD
Carilion Clinic
Andy Macfarlan, MD
Hospice of the Piedmont and Smooth Skin Laser
Peter Paulsen
USAA
Margaret Anderson
UVA, retired
Alan Dalkin
MD, UVA
Amanda Machan
Attorney, nCino, Inc.
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/04/2019GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.