The Painted Turtle camp, our national service partner
The Painted Turtle began as a dream in 1999 when Paul Newman and Page Adler, along with a group of other dedicated individuals, co-founded The Painted Turtle to let kids with medical conditions just be kids. Through the ongoing commitment of these individuals, many of whom sit on our board today, the dream of The Painted Turtle became a reality. Located just outside of Los Angeles in Lake Hughes, California, The Painted Turtle has served tens of thousands of children and families since opening in 2004.
The power of the camp experience
The mission of The Painted Turtle is to provide a year-round, life-changing environment and authentic camp experience for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The Painted Turtle supports children’s medical needs, inspires them to reach beyond their illnesses, and provides care, education, and respite for their families. All campers and families attend completely free of charge.
Campers at The Painted Turtle enjoy a fun, safe, and adaptive environment where all activities are designed to accommodate campers with medical concerns. At Camp, children are empowered to learn about their own medical care and are given the confidence to become more independent. Each session is grouped by similar diagnoses, where campers are surrounded by others who can understand their challenges. The community at Camp transcends the days that campers spend there, leading to friendships that create a feeling of inclusion and connection outside of Camp.