Victory Junction Gang Camp, Inc.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Meeting the needs of children with physical or cognitive disabilities is an area of great need in our communities-these children, who are often underserved or unserved, have limited, or no, access or opportunities for social inclusion and growth.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Summer Camp
Summers at Victory Junction are flat out fun! Our week-long summer sessions are diagnosis-specific and each session accommodates up to 128 campers. We meet the needs of each child by maintaining a ration of one caregiver to one camper, adjusted for medical needs. Counselors not only provide living assistance, but also support campers with encouragement and fun. At camp, children can participate in activities that might be too challenging in their daily lives. Our fully-accessible programs are designed to provide endless possibilities for all campers.
Our campers have come from all 50 states and around the world. The Victory Junction experience is a welcome break for children who spend most of their year receiving medical treatments or attending countless hospital visits.
REACH
Serving close to 8,000 children and families annually, our REACH program brings camp magic to hospital bedsides and playrooms and Ronald McDonald Houses. We partner with nine hospitals in North Carolina, five hospitals in South Carolina, and nine Ronald McDonald Houses across the two states.
Vic's Riders
Experience the empowering and healing benefits of equine assisted activities at Victory Junction’s year-round therapeutic riding program. PATH certified instructors offer safe and fun lessons that extend beyond the saddle. Our lessons teach riding skills to riders from various backgrounds with cognitive, physical, emotional and behavioral disabilities.
Who We Serve
● 3 years and older
● Individuals with chronic illnesses
● Individuals with cognitive, physical, emotional, behavioral, developmental and/or intellectual disabilities
● Past and current Victory Junction campers
● Senior citizens
Family Weekends
Medical conditions can impact the entire family, so our weekend sessions focus on bringing everyone together for camp adventures. Each session is diagnosis-specific and accommodates up to 32 families.
Day Programs
Day programs are a unique opportunity to bring diagnosis-specific communities, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, together in fun camp activities with the sense of security that returning to their home at the end of the day helps provide.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
SeriousFun Children's Network 2020
SeriousFun Children's Network 2019
SeriousFun Children's Network 2018
SeriousFun Children's Network 2017
SeriousFun Children's Network 2016
SeriousFun Children's Network 2015
SeriousFun Children's Network 2014
SeriousFun Children's Network 2013
SeriousFun Children's Network 2012
SeriousFun Children's Network 2011
SeriousFun Children's Network 2010
SeriousFun Children's Network 2009
SeriousFun Children's Network 2008
SeriousFun Children's Network 2007
SeriousFun Children's Network 2006
SeriousFun Children's Network 2005
SeriousFun Children's Network 2021
SeriousFun Children's Network 2022
SeriousFun Children's Network 2023
SeriousFun Children's Network 2024
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of children served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Children, Preteens, People with disabilities, Chronically ill people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2020: Includes virtual experiences offered during the Covid-19 pandemic
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?
To serve 10,000 children and family members each year through summer camp, Family Weekends, REACH (hospital outreach programming), program days, community partnerships, and therapeutic riding. Victory Junction fills a unique and important role by providing barrier-free transformational, life-changing experiences at no cost to camper families. The benefits of camp include, but are not limited to, improved confidence, self-esteem, and resilience, which impact all areas of a child's life and support their well-being.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Actively recruiting campers and families from diverse backgrounds; developing deeper relationship with diagnosis communities and their respective support groups; expanding awareness of programming throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia (our traditional footprint); actively recruiting volunteers and seasonal staff from diverse backgrounds; enhancing and expanding training methods and content to ensure inclusion, safety, and adherence to best practices; and evaluating new and innovative funding through individuals, community, and corporate partnerships.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Utilizing the knowledge and experience of staff to ensure alignment with organizational goals. We encourage all staff to participate in professional and personal development to stay current with trends and best practices. Our on-site facilities are fully-accessible to ensure both medical safety and inclusion of all participants. We are committed to financial sustainability through five strategic initiatives: increasing revenue, managing expenses, growing cash, building endowment, and eliminating debt.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since Victory Junction opened its gates in 2004, we have delivered over 100,000 camp experiences to campers and their families through summer camp, Family Weekends, REACH (hospital outreach programming), program days, community partnerships, and therapeutic riding. Typically, we serve over 450 different medical diagnoses over the course of a year.
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 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 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 act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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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
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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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.
Victory Junction Gang Camp, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/02/2024
Mr. Mark Curran
Retired
Term: 2024 - 2027
Carolyn Bechtel
Mark Curran
Erich Hamm
Bobby Rice
Anna Marie Smith
Timothy Welborn
Danny Agresta
Kyle Petty
Richard Petty
Beth Southard
Glenn Dixon
Avie Banks
Christopher Clapp
Donavan Vinson
Wayne Robbins
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
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/02/2024GuideStar 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 employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- 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 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.