Camp Restore

What Camp Restore does

Camp Restore is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates two mission-trip camp locations—in New Orleans since 2006 and in Detroit since 2016—providing visiting groups with volunteer housing, three daily meals, and structured service-project coordination. Its core offering is hospitality infrastructure for short-term mission trips: physical accommodations in converted church buildings, on-site meal service, and curated partnerships with local churches, schools, colleges, and community organizations that absorb volunteer labor into specific service projects. The organization does not appear to operate proprietary technology; the booking, lodging, and coordination workflow is built around a standard nonprofit website and manual partner management.

The business model mixes commercial program fees with philanthropic support. Groups pay $30–45 per person per night for housing and meals, while the broader operating budget is funded by donations and foundation grants—the McNally Foundation is a named institutional backer. Pricing is intentionally accessible to keep mission-trip participation viable for small churches and student groups. Customer segments are diversified across denominational and nondenominational churches, colleges, high schools, and community organizations, served through a partner ecosystem of 150+ local nonprofits and congregations. Since inception, the organization reports having hosted 30,000+ volunteers across both sites, with cumulative growth driven primarily by geographic expansion into Detroit and incremental additions of partner projects rather than a single product launch.

Name

Camp Restore

Legal name

RAI Ministries, Inc.

Website

https://camprestore.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Camp Restore is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating mission-trip camps in New Orleans and Detroit that provide housing, meals, and volunteer project coordination for churches, schools, and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Volunteer Mission Trip and Service Trip Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Seasonal & Pop-Up Campsites (Event/Harvest/Temporary) (THAGAOAH)

Keywords

• Volunteer mission trips
• Service trip coordination
• Community restoration programs
• Faith-based volunteer housing
• Alternative break trips

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Volunteer Group Fees: Charges per-person nightly rates for lodging, meals, and project coordination to volunteer groups. Detroit: $45/night for lodging, 3 meals, and project coordination. New Orleans: $45/night Sunday-Thursday, $30-35/night Friday-Saturday.
2. Donations: Accepts financial contributions from individuals and organizations to support volunteer work and community restoration efforts.
3. Foundation Grants: Receives grant support from foundations like McNally Foundation for specific programs and staff positions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Camp Restore operates two physical volunteer mission-trip camp locations (New Orleans, LA and Detroit, MI) that provide all-inclusive service trip packages — dormitory-style housing, three meals per day, and locally-coordinated community service projects — to church groups, college alternative break programs, high school youth groups, and individual volunteers at a flat per-person nightly rate. Service projects span environmental restoration, human care, grassroots neighborhood work, and home construction/rebuilding for hurricane-affected families, delivered through partnerships with 150+ local nonprofits and churches.

Product overview

Camp Restore is a nonprofit organization offering mission trip and service trip coordination services at two locations: Camp Restore New Orleans (established 2006) and Camp Restore Detroit (established 2016). The organization provides a unified service combining volunteer housing, meals, and project coordination for groups of all ages. New Orleans operations include environmental restoration, human care, grassroots support, and construction projects in partnership with over 100 local nonprofits. Detroit focuses on community restoration in the 9th Precinct with outreach houses, community gardens, and neighborhood revitalization. The core offering is all-inclusive mission trip packages that include lodging, meals, and coordinated volunteer projects matched to group skills and community needs. Pricing varies by location: New Orleans charges $45/night Sunday-Thursday and $35/night Friday-Saturday; Detroit charges $45/night with three meals daily. The organization also facilitates College Alternative Break, High School Service Trips, and traditional Mission Trip programs for church and community groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SPARK Summer Camp: Summer camp program for children in the Detroit community focusing on educational and recreational activities.
• Team Restore
• Children's Outreach House
• Adult Outreach House

Products and services

• Camp Restore Detroit All-inclusive volunteer mission trip program in Detroit, Michigan, providing dormitory housing, three meals daily, and coordinated community service projects for groups of all ages since 2016, focusing on blight removal, community gardens, home repairs, and youth programs in the 9th Precinct.
• Camp Restore New Orleans All-inclusive volunteer mission trip program in New Orleans, Louisiana, providing dormitory housing (air-conditioned, with bunk beds, hot showers, free WiFi), meals (hot breakfast Mon-Fri, sack lunches, dinners Sun-Thu), and coordinated community service projects focused on Hurricane Katrina recovery and ongoing community restoration.
• Volunteer Housing & Meals Dormitory-style lodging with bunk beds, hot showers, free WiFi, and air-conditioning bundled with hot breakfast, sack lunches, and dinners; included in the per-person nightly fee at both locations.
• Project Coordination On-site coordination of volunteer service projects with community partners, including environmental work, human care, grassroots tasks, and construction projects; specific projects are finalized approximately one week in advance based on priority and impact.
• Construction Volunteer Projects Home rebuilding and repair projects including gutting, drywall hanging, taping and floating, painting, cabinet installation, tiling, laminate flooring, and fixture installation for families damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
• Environmental Volunteer Projects Wetland restoration projects including planting cypress trees and marsh grass, work with animal rescue organizations, Chalmette Battlefield projects, cemetery restoration, invasive species removal, and urban farming.
• Human Care Volunteer Projects Service activities with nursing home residents, youth center programming, child-care assistance, school assistance, homeless shelters, hospice facilities, summer camps, and Vacation Bible Schools.
• Grassroots Volunteer Projects Neighborhood-level projects including repairing playground equipment, stuffing backpacks for the needy, general maintenance, facilities improvements, and assisting at special events for small missions and community projects.
• Community Partnership Program Network of 150+ nonprofit and church partnerships coordinating service opportunities across wetland restoration, local schools, youth programs, and community nonprofits at both the Detroit and New Orleans locations.
• College Alternative Break Programs Structured alternative break service trips for college students combining volunteer work, community engagement, and reflection experiences; past university partners include University of New Mexico and Barry University.
• High School Service Trips Service trip programs for high school students providing hands-on mission work, exposure to community needs, and supervised lodging; past high school participants include La Salle College High School and Loyola High School of Los Angeles.
• Church Mission Trip Programs Faith-based mission trip experiences for church groups and congregations combining service work, fellowship, and faith-based reflection; past participants include St. John Lutheran Church, Shepherd's Gate Church, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Bethel Lutheran, Knox Presbyterian, Zion Lutheran (Cincinnati), Trinity Lutheran Church (Reed City), Trinity Lutheran (Muskegon), Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, and North Congregational Church.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ volunteers served since 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Denby Neighborhood AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization led by Ms. Sandra Turner-Handy, a CRD board member. Works on neighborhood improvement initiatives in the 9th Precinct of Detroit.
• Mohican-Regent Block ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization led by Mr. George Preston, CRD board member and Chairman of the Board.
• Mt. Calvary Lutheran ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Camp Restore Detroit location. Over 95-year-old church that partnered with Camp Restore to serve the community. Church provided building and continues as ministry partner.
• Design CoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization running the City of Design Challenge. CRD participated in design challenge for inclusive design planning of tech hub with mobile library and maker's space.
• Building Better MencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing life skills and literacy enhancement programs for males ages 8-18. CRD partnered to provide tutoring program and host Chess and Chew summer program.
• United SaintsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner nonprofit in New Orleans. Groups coordinating through this organization receive discounted rate of $40/night.
• Rebuilding TogetherminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner nonprofit in New Orleans. Groups coordinating through this organization receive discounted rate.
• Hands On New OrleansminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner nonprofit in New Orleans. Groups coordinating through this organization receive discounted rate.
• NOLA Tree ProjectminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner nonprofit in New Orleans. Groups coordinating through this organization receive discounted rate.
• SBPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner nonprofit in New Orleans. Groups coordinating through this organization receive discounted rate.
• Habitat for HumanityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner nonprofit in New Orleans. Groups coordinating through this organization receive discounted rate.
• Lutheran Church – Missouri SynodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheran denomination that provided initial support for Camp Restore New Orleans establishment in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina.
• Laborers for ChristminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided support for conversion of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church school facility to house volunteer groups.
• Orphan Grain TrainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit that provided support for initial establishment of Camp Restore New Orleans in 2006.
• Sovereign Hope Apostolic FaithcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSite host and partner of Camp Restore in New Orleans. Holds worship services throughout the week and makes sanctuary available for volunteer groups.
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Camp Restore New Orleans campus. School facility was converted to house volunteer groups.
• Quality Interior CoatingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany in Canton that donated epoxy flooring services for new property at former Trinity Lutheran Church in Warren, saving CRD $30,000-$40,000.
• Pittsburgh PaintsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Quality Interior Coatings to donate paint for epoxy flooring project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Rebuilding Together: National nonprofit focused on home repair and rehabilitation for low-income homeowners, including volunteer-led work. Also a Camp Restore partner channel in New Orleans with comparable volunteer construction projects.
• United Saints: New Orleans-based nonprofit partner that coordinates short-term mission groups and already provides Camp Restore's partner channel at a discounted nightly rate. Comparable operational model in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity: Global volunteer-driven homebuilding nonprofit with structured short-term volunteer house builds. Overlaps Camp Restore on volunteer housing coordination, construction projects, and faith-affiliated volunteer base, but operates at vastly larger scale across many geographies.
• Volunteer Forever: Online marketplace aggregating volunteer-abroad and volunteer-travel programs. Competes for the same prospective mission/volunteer-trip bookers but offers a much broader catalog rather than operating its own camps.

Direct peers

• Adventures in Missions: Christian nonprofit running short-term mission experiences including domestic service trips. Comparable faith-based mission-trip model, group lodging, and church/college customer base.
• YouthWorks: Faith-based nonprofit that organizes domestic and international mission/service trips for youth and church groups, with bundled housing, meals, and project coordination. Direct competitor for the same high school, college, and church group customers Camp Restore serves.
• MIssion Discovery: Faith-based organization that designs and runs short-term mission trips with bundled housing and service projects for youth and adult groups, including in the Gulf Coast region. Directly comparable group-trip service model.
• SBP (formerly St. Bernard Project): National disaster-recovery nonprofit that houses and coordinates volunteer groups for long-term home rebuilding, including in New Orleans post-Katrina. Closely comparable to Camp Restore on volunteer lodging, construction project coordination, and disaster-recovery mission.
• Group Mission Trips (Group International): Faith-based mission trip organizer specializing in short-term domestic service trips with housing and project packages for church and youth groups. Comparable offering, target customer, and pricing structure to Camp Restore's bundled service.

Others

• Mercy Ships: Faith-based nonprofit mobilizing volunteers for service, anchored in medical and community development work. Shares faith-driven donor base, volunteer recruitment model, and nonprofit funding structure with Camp Restore, though operating in a different service vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CampRestore
• Facebookfacebook.com/CampRestore
• Instagraminstagram.com/camprestorenola

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp Restore