Over forty years ago, when a group of KOA franchise owners founded Care Camps Foundation, the goal was simple: make a real difference in the lives of children fighting cancer with something as simple as camping.
Little did we know that we would gain so much in return from this one, small idea.
Helping Care Camps Foundation has become an essential part of KOA’s charitable support. In 2025, Care Camps Foundation granted funding to 125 pediatric oncology camps throughout the U.S. and Canada, serving over 47,000 children living with cancer, siblings, parents and other family members. At these camps, kids and their families can experience all the fun of camp at no financial cost to them. They can swim, hike, laugh, make new friends and create joy-filled memories in the great outdoors, all while in a safe, medically-supervised camp setting. KOA, Inc. and KOA campgrounds have contributed a cumulative total of over $22 million over the past 40 plus years for Care Camps Foundation. KOA campgrounds, camper donations, and support from local, regional and corporate sponsors have all helped make that possible.
That’s why each May, we invite our campers to camp for a cause by joining us for Care Camps Big Weekend. Stay at a participating KOA on Friday, May 8 and receive 50% off your Saturday, May 9 stay. While this means great savings for our campers, it also means big donations for Care Camps Foundation, with KOA donating 50% of the funds raised from Saturday night’s stays.
While Care Camps Big Weekend is a big part of the donations used for grant funding, the myriad of other activities like pancake breakfasts, collection stations and special activities at our locations throughout the camping season provide even more opportunities to make a difference.
Care Camps Big Weekend is the perfect opportunity to kick off the summer camping season and help children with cancer. Don’t worry, great sites are still available for this very special camping weekend. Reserve at your favorite KOA – or find a new favorite – and help make a big difference during this Big Weekend!
To learn more about Care Camps Foundation and their mission, click here.
About the Author: Kampgrounds of America
Kampgrounds of America is the largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds in the world, with over 500 locations across the United States and Canada. Founded in Billings, MT in 1962, KOA’s family of campground brands – KOA Journey, KOA Holiday and KOA Resort – today serve more than a million camping families each year. KOA is dedicated to “connecting people to the outdoors and each other” by providing people with a variety of camping experiences and the information they need to make the most of their camping trip. Read more of their camping and travel resources by visiting KOA.com/blog.
