What Forest Home does

Forest Home, Inc. (Forest Home Christian Camps) is a California-based, independent nonprofit Christian camp and retreat ministry founded in 1938 by Henrietta Mears in Forest Falls, California. The organization operates two properties — the Mill Creek Canyon campus in the San Bernardino Mountains (home to Forest Center, Lakeview, Creekside, and the seasonal Wild Rock center) and a 130-acre Ojai Valley campus in Ventura County — with combined guest capacity exceeding 1,600 across cabins, dorms, yurts, and tent accommodations. Its core products are week-long and weekend overnight camps for children (grades 3-6) and youth (junior high and high school), a Family Camp program, the Radiant Discipleship Program and CCA Program for teen girls, and a partner-branded GO Gap Year Program.

The business is structured around four revenue streams: camper registration fees (the primary source), on-site retail (Roundhouse apparel, Stagecoach Coffee Shop, Craft Cabin activities — all cashless), donations and planned giving (Ministry Fund, Henrietta Mears Society, charitable gift annuities and remainder trusts), and Guest Conference retreats where external churches, schools, and corporate groups rent Forest Home facilities and provide their own programming. Distribution is hybrid: church group registration flows through designated group leaders, while individual families self-register through the website (foresthome.org), and guest conferences are booked via direct sales with reservations specialists. Marketing relies on church partnership networks, word-of-mouth referrals, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram), and donor development via the Development Team.

Organizationally, Forest Home is governed by a Board of Directors (including member Alan Nakamura) and staffed by 101-250 employees, expanding to 150+ during summer via a dedicated seasonal recruitment pipeline through BambooHR and JotForm. Key executives include a Senior Director of Programs, Director of Youth, Directors of Guest Dining, and a Radiant Program Manager. The organization reports reaching 40,000+ children, youth, and families with the gospel annually, awarding approximately $250,000 in camp scholarships per year, and operating with notable historical associations including Billy Graham's 1949 visit prior to his Los Angeles Crusade and Bill Bright (Campus Crusade for Christ founder).

Name

Forest Home

Legal name

Forest Home, Inc.

Website

https://foresthome.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Forest Home is an independent nonprofit Christian camp and retreat ministry operating two Southern California campuses, delivering week-long children, youth, and family camp programs, guest conference rentals, and donor-funded scholarships to roughly 40,000 participants annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Forest Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Camp Registration Fees: Primary revenue from registration fees for youth summer camp, children's summer camp, youth winter camp, children's winter camp, family camp, and Radiant Discipleship Program. Fees cover meals, lodging, activities, and programming. Camper ratios maintained: Children's Summer 10:2, Youth Summer 9:1, Children's Winter 6:2 (Males) 8:2 (Females), Youth Winter 10:1.
2. Retail Operations: On-site retail including Roundhouse (t-shirts, stickers, hats, souvenirs), Clubhouse and Stagecoach Coffee Shop (snacks, drinks, milkshakes, food), Craft Cabin activities. Cashless operations - purchases via Visa gift cards or credit/debit only.
3. Donations and Planned Giving: Ministry Fund for scholarships and facility improvements; Planned giving options including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts, appreciated securities, real estate gifts, IRA gifts, life insurance gifts, business interests, retirement plan gifts; Henrietta Mears Society for legacy giving recognition.
4. Guest Conference Retreats: Ojai Valley and Mill Creek Canyon retreat facilities rented to external groups for their own events; provides facilities, amenities, and food while groups plan their own programming including speakers and bands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forest Home is a nonprofit Christian camp and retreat ministry operating two campuses in Southern California (Mill Creek Canyon in the San Bernardino Mountains and Ojai Valley in Ventura County). It sells overnight camp experiences for children, youth, and families—including summer camps, winter camps, family camp, and discipleship programs—along with retreat facility rentals to outside groups under its Guest Conferences program. Revenue is generated primarily through camper registration fees, on-site retail, retreat facility rentals, and donor contributions.

Product overview

Forest Home is a Christian camp and retreat ministry offering a comprehensive portfolio of overnight camp programs and retreat center services. The core product lineup includes Youth and Children's Summer Camps (including the Wild Rock program), Youth and Children's Winter Camps, and Family Camp—each providing week-long Christian fellowship experiences with spiritual teaching, worship, and outdoor activities. Additional programs include the Radiant Discipleship Program and CCA Program for teenage girls, plus the GO Gap Year Program in partnership. Forest Home operates five distinct camp centers across two properties: Forest Center (Mill Creek Canyon's premier location for up to 550 guests), Lakeview (lakeside lodging for 280), Creekside (rustic setting for 300), Wild Rock (yurt-based outdoor focus for 250), and Ojai Valley (Ventura County campus for 244). All centers offer various lodging types, meeting spaces, dining facilities, and extensive recreation options including Canyon Park adventure activities. The organization also offers guest conference/retreat services for self-planned events and planned giving programs for donor engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Summer Camp A week-long overnight camp designed to challenge, encourage, and engage junior high and high school students with Christian fellowship, worship, activities, and spiritual teaching. Camper-to-staff ratio of 9:1.
• Children's Summer Camp (Wild Rock) A five-day camp at Wild Rock specifically designed for students entering 3rd through 6th grade, providing age-appropriate teaching, engaging worship, and intentional outdoor activities in a safe environment. Camper-to-staff ratio of 10:2.
• Youth Winter Camp A weekend winter camp designed to challenge, encourage, and engage junior high and high school students with purposeful activities outside their normal routines. Camper-to-staff ratio of 10:1.
• Children's Winter Camp A three-day weekend winter camp for 3rd through 6th graders designed to provide Christ-centered fun with activities outside normal routines. Camper-to-staff ratios of 6:2 (males) and 8:2 (females).
• Family Camp A week-long family vacation program designed for families to connect, make meaningful memories, and grow spiritually together through Christian teaching, age-specific programming, childcare, and adult/couple time.
• Radiant Discipleship Program A discipleship program for girls aged 13-18 that combines camp activities with servant ministry opportunities and spiritual growth through fellowship with like-minded peers.
• CCA Program (Child Care Assistant) A program for girls aged 13-18 designed to engage in summer camp activities, grow in fellowship, and serve families by providing quality child care during Family Camp.
• GO Gap Year Program A gap year program offered in partnership, providing young people with a year-long faith-based experience.
• Guest Conferences (Retreats) Self-planned retreat packages where groups use Forest Home facilities to host their own events including custom speakers and programming, with food and lodging provided by Forest Home.
• Forest Center The premier camp center in Mill Creek Canyon, capable of hosting up to 550 guests with premium lodging options and meeting spaces for guest conference retreats and church group camps.
• Lakeview A camp center on the sunny north side of Mill Creek Canyon offering forest and lake views, comfortable cabins and dorms for up to 280 guests, lakeside dining, and recreation access.
• Creekside A compact camp center with stunning views of conifer forest and Mill Creek, offering comfortable cabins and dorms for up to 300 guests with home-style meals in a casual atmosphere.
• Wild Rock A secluded outdoor-focused camp center open June-September featuring insulated yurt housing for up to 250 guests, artificial turf field, Summit amphitheater, and adventure-oriented recreation.
• Ojai Valley A 130-acre year-round campus in Ventura County offering traditional cabins and tent accommodations for up to 244 guests, with meeting spaces, recreation, and a premium retreat experience just 15 miles from the Pacific Coast.
• Canyon Park Recreation Adventure recreation area featuring zip line, 3-person giant swing, Sky Trail high ropes course, Kinetix Tower, Boulder Junction, The Blob water attraction, water slides, kayaks, paddleboards, lake swimming, inflatable elements, and mud bowl.
• Planned Giving Services Charitable giving options including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts, IRA charitable rollovers, gifts of appreciated securities, real estate, business interests, life insurance, and retirement plan assets.
• Henrietta Mears Society Legacy giving recognition society for ministry partners who have named Forest Home as a beneficiary in their will or trust, honoring their investment in the organization's future.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ children, youth and families reached with the gospel annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Aqua-TotsminorOthersCorporate partner listed on Forest Home website as supporting ministry partner
• In-N-Out BurgerminorOthersCorporate partner providing support for Forest Home ministry
• Likewise WorshipminorOthersWorship ministry partner supporting Forest Home programming
• Zamperini FieldminorOthersField/venue partner in Lancaster, CA supporting Forest Home ministry
• CVC ChurchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurch partner that brings groups to Forest Home camps and retreats
• Trinity ConnectioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurch partner that brings groups to Forest Home camps and retreats
• Christian TrustmakercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner providing estate planning services including will and trust creation for Forest Home planned giving donors; teamed up to make creating wills and trusts simple and affordable for ministry supporters

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kanakuk Kamps: Kanakuk is one of the largest U.S. Christian youth camp networks, operating multi-week summer camps and family camps in Branson, Missouri. Directly comparable on target market (Christian families), program structure and residential camp experience.
• Camp Eagle: Camp Eagle runs summer youth camps, family camps and guest retreats in the Texas Hill Country. Comparable operating model with adventure recreation, church group partnerships and retreat rental business.
• Hume Lake Christian Camps: Hume Lake operates year-round Christian camps and guest retreat centers in California's Sequoia region. Like Forest Home, it runs multiple camp centers, church group programming, and family camps in a remote mountain setting — making it the closest geographic and programmatic peer.
• Briarwood Conference Center: Briarwood is a Christian retreat and conference center in east Texas serving churches, schools and corporate groups. Smaller and more retreat-focused than Forest Home but overlaps in the guest conference channel and target buyer.
• Mount Hermon Christian Camps: Mount Hermon in the Santa Cruz Mountains runs Christian summer camps, family camps and conference retreats in Northern California. Closely mirrors Forest Home's model: redwood-forest campus, multiple camp centers, church partnerships and guest group retreat business.
• Pine Cove Christian Camps: Pine Cove operates multiple Christian camp properties across Texas and the Midwest with summer camps, family camps and retreat center rentals. Same core offering — overnight Christian camps plus guest conference facilities serving church groups.

Broad incumbents

• Young Life: Young Life is a national youth ministry that operates year-round club programming plus its own network of camp properties (e.g., Timber Wolf Lake, Malibu Club). Broader scale and brand than Forest Home but overlapping mission of youth ministry and residential Christian camp experiences.
• WinShape Foundation: WinShape runs WinShape Camps (Chick-fil-A affiliated) and retreat properties across the U.S. Larger, well-funded operator with similar overnight Christian camp and retreat offerings, competing for the same family and church group audience.

Emerging players

• The Calvin Center: Calvin Center is a smaller-scale Christian conference and retreat center in Hampton, Georgia. Overlaps with Forest Home's Ojai Valley Guest Conference line — facilities rented to external groups running their own programs.

Regional players

• Forest Home-style YMCA Camp (e.g., YMCA Camp Oakes): YMCA Camp Oakes and similar YMCA camps run residential youth and family camp programs in Big Bear and other Southern California mountain locations. Adjacent competitor targeting overlapping families with a secular, less Christian-focused programming mix.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/foresthome
• Instagraminstagram.com/foresthomecamps
• Xx.com/foresthome

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Forest Home