College vs Cancer
Care Package Program
Handcrafted packages filled with games, snacks, comfort items, and personal notes — delivered to pediatric oncology wards at partner hospitals.
MonthlyStudents · Hope · Impact
No child should face cancer alone.
College vs Cancer is a student-run nonprofit bringing care packages, hospital visit days, and real human connection to kids in treatment across Orange County and San Diego.
Founded by students Serving Southern California Est. 2026
Our mission
Students standing up for kids with cancer
Founded by college students in Orange County, College vs Cancer mobilizes volunteers to bring resources, joy, and lasting connection to young patients and their families across Southern California.
Community over transactions
We build lasting relationships with families, not one-time drop-offs. Continuity matters deeply to kids in long-term treatment.
Student-powered, always
Every visit, event, and package is planned and delivered by college students — peers who bring an energy kids genuinely respond to.
Radical transparency
Every dollar is tracked and reported publicly. Donors deserve to know exactly where their money goes — always.
“Every child deserves to feel seen and supported — especially during the hardest moments of their life.”
Founding statement
- No salaries or stipends — every organizer is an unpaid student volunteer.
- Real numbers only — we publish our impact as it happens, never inflated.
- Family privacy first — we never share a child's story without permission.
What we do
Our programs
Hospital Visit Days
Organized visits where student volunteers bring art projects, music, games, and genuine human connection to children in treatment.
Bi-monthlyCampus Fundraisers
Creative on-campus events — bake sales, talent shows, awareness walks, and culture fairs — that raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer.
Each semesterScholarship Awareness
Connecting families with cancer-related scholarships so siblings and young survivors can pursue higher education despite financial strain.
AnnualArt & Expression Kits
Curated art supply kits designed with local artists — a creative outlet for hospitalized kids that's therapeutic and culturally inclusive.
QuarterlyCultural Outreach
Bilingual community events designed to reach and include the diverse families of the Orange County and San Diego region.
Cultural calendarThe road ahead
Year One starts now
We're a brand-new organization, and we'd rather show you an honest plan than inflated numbers. Here's exactly what we're building — and when.
-
Summer 2026
Foundation
Incorporate the nonprofit, assemble our founding student team, and begin partnership conversations with pediatric oncology units in Orange County.
-
Fall 2026
First deliveries
Assemble and deliver our first 100 care packages, and host our first campus fundraiser of the school year.
-
Winter 2026–27
First visit days
Launch hospital visit days with trained student volunteers — art, music, and games brought directly to kids in treatment.
-
Spring 2027
Growing the network
Help launch chapters at two more Southern California campuses and publish our first full transparency report.
We publish real numbers as they happen — no inflated stats, ever. This page will grow as our work does.
What's coming up
Events
Our first events are in the works
We're planning our first fundraisers and volunteer days right now. Join the newsletter to hear about them first, or reach out to help us plan from day one.
Get event updatesJoin the fight
There's a place for you here
Volunteer
Join us for hospital visits, event planning, care package assembly, and community outreach. No experience needed — just genuine care.
Apply to volunteerStart a chapter
Attend a Southern California college? We'll help you launch a College vs Cancer chapter and plug into our student network.
Start a chapterGive
Fund the work directly. $20 covers a full care package; $200 sponsors an entire hospital visit day, materials included.
Donate nowSupport our work
Every dollar changes a child's day
Your gift funds care packages, hospital visit days, art kits, and campus outreach. Our student team volunteers their time, so giving goes as far as possible.
$20
Funds one complete care package for a child in treatment
$50
Covers a month of art supplies for a hospital ward
$100
Funds one group activity session for kids in treatment
$200
Sponsors a complete hospital visit day, all materials included
- Student-run — no salaries, ever
- Every dollar tracked and reported publicly
- Questions first? Write us at hello@collegevscancer.com
Make a gift
Choose an amount to support Year One. Online card giving opens soon — for now, pledge by email and we'll follow up personally with simple ways to give.
College vs Cancer never collects card details on this website. Our federal 501(c)(3) application is in progress; donations are not yet tax-deductible. We'll update this page the moment that changes. See FAQ.
Transparency
Where your money goes
Every donor deserves full visibility. This is our planned Year One allocation — we'll publish actuals after our first fiscal period.
Care packages & supplies45%
Hospital visit programs30%
Events & outreach18%
Operations7%
Our commitment: no salary or stipend is paid to any student organizer. Operations covers only essentials like state filing fees and supplies logistics.
Why it matters
The case for giving
Roughly 15,000 American children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Student-run organizations fill gaps that larger institutions can't.
Peer connection
Support from people close in age is uniquely meaningful to young patients — students bring an energy kids relate to.
Community-rooted
Our volunteers live and study in the same communities as the families we support, building genuine long-term trust.
Zero-overhead culture
Every student leader is unpaid. Your donation goes toward kids, not salaries.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Not yet. Our federal 501(c)(3) application is in progress. Until the IRS issues our determination letter, gifts to College vs Cancer are not tax-deductible — and we'd rather tell you that plainly than blur it. We'll update this page and email our newsletter the moment our status changes.
Where does my money actually go?
Directly into programs: care packages, hospital visit materials, art kits, and outreach events. No student organizer takes a salary or stipend. Our planned allocation is published in the transparency section, and we'll publish actual figures after our first fiscal period.
How do I volunteer? Do I need experience?
No experience needed — just reliability and genuine care. Send us a message through the contact form and choose "Prospective volunteer." We'll reach out with current opportunities, from package assembly to event planning. Hospital-facing roles include a short orientation.
Can we start a chapter at my college?
Yes — that's a core Year One goal. If you attend a Southern California college, we'll help you launch: starter materials, fundraising playbooks, and direct support from our founding team. Reach out through the contact form as a partner or chapter founder.
How do you work with hospitals and protect families' privacy?
We partner with hospital child-life and volunteer departments and follow their protocols for every visit and delivery. We never photograph or share a child's story without explicit family permission, and we never publish identifying details.
I'm a hospital, sponsor, or media contact — how do I reach you?
Email hello@collegevscancer.com or use the contact form and pick the option that fits. We reply within 48 hours on school days.
Get in touch
We'd love to hear from you
Family seeking support, prospective volunteer, donor, or partner organization — we're here.
Based inOrange County, CA — serving OC & San Diego County
Response timeWithin 48 hours on school days