How the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Is Expanding Healing, Community, and Hope

The Charity Charge Show · 2026-02-09 · 21 min

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Episode notes

On this episode of the Charity Charged Show , we sit down with Hilary Axtmayer, Chief Program Officer of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp , to talk about one of the most meaningful nonprofit expansions happening this year. Founded in 1988 by Paul Newman , the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was created to give children with serious illnesses something they are too often denied: the chance to simply be kids. More than three decades later, the organization is serving thousands of children and families across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and in 2025 it is opening a second residential camp location in Maryland. This conversation goes beyond the headline of expansion. It digs into the origin of the camp’s name, the magic of its programs, Hilary’s 25-year journey from counselor to executive leader, and the careful work required to scale without losing the soul of the mission.