Kids Across America

Description

KAA is a Christian sports summer camp providing an experience for nearly 8,000 urban youth and urban leaders. Their mission is to build Christian leaders by encouraging, equipping, and empowering urban youth and their mentors through camping and education.

History

In 1978, Joe White of Kanakuk Kamps, Inc., the largest family of Christian sports camps in America, started giving the last week of Kamp in the summer to serve the camping needs of urban youth. The I’m Third Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization was birthed out of this need and eventually the demand for a camp dedicated to serving urban youth and inner-city adult leaders became so great that the first Kids Across America Kamp was built.

It was completed and opened in 1991 and in 1995 KAA 2 was opened adjacent to KAA 1. The number of young people and inner-city leaders served has grown every year. This demand led to the opening of a leadership training camp, called Higher Ground, in 1998, and a fourth camp, KAA 3, in the summer of 2001. In September of 2000, the I’m Third Foundation was renamed Kids Across America Foundation (KAA). Each summer 20 campers receive a special “I’m Third” award.

As the numbers of young people and leaders served through the camps has grown, KAA has also grown in the scope of support services provided throughout the year.