In-Hospital Program
In-Hospital Program
The Painted Turtle Outpost
The Painted Turtle Outpost takes the magic and fun of
what we do at our camp-site to hospitals and medical community
events throughout California. The program is endowed by the
Margie & Robert E. Petersen Foundation.
Outpost allows The Painted
Turtle to reach out to children who are hospitalized, giving them
a chance to be in an environment where they can “go to camp” and
forget about their illness, at least for a little while. Since
the launch of the program in September 2007, the Outpost program
has brought the fun and spirit of our camp program into hospital
playrooms and community events all throughout California. The
Painted Turtle provides this program to hospital and partner
organizations free of charge.
During The Painted Turtle Outpost
events, children enter into a creative “camp” environment that is
inclusive, supportive, and challenging – just like the one at The
Painted Turtle’s camp-site!
The Outpost staff along with a team of trained volunteers deliver this exciting and engaging program.
Can I give you a hug? Because you really made my daughter’s day! This is the first time she has smiled since surgery. —Parent of patient, UCSF
For inquiries about the Outpost program please contact Teresa Molello at TeresaM@thepaintedturtle.org.
Click here to view our Hospital Outpost sites
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
- Children’s Hospital Orange County
- DaVita Dialysis Center, Century City
- Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center
- Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center
- Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
- Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center
- Los Angeles General Medical Center
- Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital
- Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford
- Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital Long Beach
- Rady Children’s Hospital
- Shriners for Children Medical Center, Southern California
- Shriners for Children Medical Center, Northern California
- Sutter Children’s Center Sacramento
- UC Davis Medical Center
- UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
- UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica
- UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco
- UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland
Outpost Volunteer Requirements
Volunteering with the Outpost program
is an amazing opportunity to deliver a little Camp magic during a
time when children and families may need it most! As an
Outpost volunteer you will spend the day in the playroom
“fishing,” crafting, or singing camp songs around the “campfire,”
but most importantly you will be putting a smile on
their face and some laughter in their heart.
To volunteer with Outpost, please complete the following:
Child Life Practicum
A child life practicum is an
introductory experience for individuals pursuing a career in
child life. This experience can provide valuable knowledge of
evidence-based, developmentally appropriate child life
interventions. The Painted Turtle is happy to provide a 120-hour
practicum experience through our in-hospital camp program,
Outpost, combined with a residential camp session (summer session
or family weekend).
Outpost Photo Gallery
The Painted Turtle Outpost brings the camp experience into 22 hospital sites, medical centers, and clinics, as well as to various community events throughout California.
Turtle-Grams
All Turtle-Gram requests must meet each of the following qualifications:
- Child has previously been a camper at The Painted Turtle
- Child is under the age of 18
- Child will be hospitalized or on bed rest for an extended period of time (three days or greater)
- Child has to miss their scheduled Camp session due to illness/hospitalization
In addition to bringing camp cheer to hospitals and medical community events, The Painted Turtle Outpost also offers “Turtle-Grams” to campers who are hospitalized, getting surgery or a procedure, on bed rest, or just needs a little Painted Turtle to lift their spirits, we invite you to request a Turtle Gram. Our Outpost team will send your camper a box filled with Camp activities, games, and projects to keep them busy and as a reminder that we’re thinking of them. An optional virtual visit can also be requested alongside the Turtle Gram. “Turtle-Grams” deliver a healthy dose of camp cheer and aim to offer some comfort and fun to our campers even while they’re not physically at camp!
If you are a parent or guardian and
feel that your child would qualify for a “Turtle-Gram,” please
fill out the request
form and our Outreach Manager will contact you. Please
note participation in this program does not in any way affect
your child’s future admission to a camp session at The Painted
Turtle.