New Camp Will Promote Healing and Confidence for Children

Fahe is proud to provide funding through our Community Lending Fund (CLF) to Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation (MTKF) for the construction of Camp Kamassa, located in Copiah County, Mississippi.  Kamassa comes from the Choctaw language and means “tough, perseveres under difficulties, not give up.”  It is a perfect word to describe the thousands of children and adults with special needs who will gain confidence, independence, and essential life skills by attending the 326 acre camp. 

Fahe CLF is partnering with Hope Federal Credit Union, a Mississippi-based banking institution and long-time partner of Fahe, to provide $9.8 Million for materials to construct Camp Kamassa.  The funds will be drawn in three phases and will be amortized at the end of each phase. MTKF has partnered with the Military Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program to provide the labor for the camp while at the same time providing site readiness training for the soldiers. MTKF will raise funds to cover the startup cost for the camp with in-kind and donations. The total project amount is a $16,235,000.

The project includes the construction of roads and a lake, the clearing and grubbing of the camp site, the installation of water, sewerage, and electrical utilities, and the construction of buildings. The buildings will include cabins, a cafeteria, an infirmary, a multi-purpose building, an open-air recreation building, and a main building with offices and meeting rooms. The camp will also have a sport field, a barn and equestrian center, a general store, a treehouse, an archery range, rope courses, a non-denominational chapel, a swimming pool, comfort stations, an amphitheater, gardens, and nature trails.

Camp Kamassa’s on-site infirmary will make the job of medical professionals tending to adults and children with special needs easier. Camp Kamassa will have sidewalks connecting all the buildings, which will make it possible for children in wheelchairs, using walkers, or for those that are blind to attend activities and move easily around the camp.

Campers with special needs will be served during summer months and other times during the year. Throughout non-summer months, Camp Kamassa will be available for groups to utilize and/or rent camp facilities.

Fahe will participate with Hope Federal Credit Union at 50% on both construction and term for phase 1.

To help make Camp Kamassa a reality, Fahe’s CLF is utilizing the Uplift America Fund, a public/private partnership between USDA, private foundations, and banks that bring much needed capital to persistently low-wealth areas.