Neil Willenson is the Founder and CEO of Camp Heartland, a national non-profit organization that makes a year-round and life-long difference for children impacted by HIV/AIDS and Co-Founder of Camp Hometown Heroes, a national summer camp for children of fallen U.S. service members. In 1993, after befriending a five year old boy with the illness and...
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Neil Willenson is the Founder and CEO of Camp Heartland, a national non-profit organization that makes a year-round and life-long difference for children impacted by HIV/AIDS and Co-Founder of Camp Hometown Heroes, a national summer camp for children of fallen U.S. service members. In 1993, after befriending a five year old boy with the illness and witnessing the discrimination, pain and sadness that he experienced, Willenson, then 22 years old, sought to provide a safe haven for children infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Since the inception of Camp Heartland in 1993, thousands of children have participated in various camp sessions where they can have fun, make friends, feel accepted, and if desired, speak openly about living with the disease.In order to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, Willenson and the Camp Heartland program have been featured by the Oprah Winfrey Show, Dateline NBC, two episodes of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, TIME Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Progressive Magazine, USA Today, and other outlets. Willenson and Camp Heartland were profiled in the CBS Movie of the Week, "Angelie's Secret," in the Disney Channel film "Friends for Life," on Good Morning America, CBS Morning News and countless television talk shows, and the feature film, "Born with HIV: Little Warriors."In 2008, Willenson was named one of GQ Magazine's "Men of the Year." In July of 2001, Willenson was recognized by PEOPLE magazine as one of the "50 Top Bachelors" in their annual Most Eligible Bachelor issue. Now officially "off the market" Willenson is married to artist Adria Rosenthal Willenson.Under his leadership, Camp Heartland (now called One Heartland) has raised over 50 million dollars to support children with HIV/AIDS, has grown to become the largest organization of its kind, and now serves as a mentor to dozens of other camps throughout the world.Willenson is also an actor who has appeared in dozens of TV commercials, live theater productions (Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof most recently in May 2014 at the Next Act Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and films.
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