The Center For Courageous Kids

What The Center For Courageous Kids does

The Center For Courageous Kids (CCK) is a Kentucky-based 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit founded in 2008 by Elizabeth Turner Campbell ("Ms. Betty") that operates a fully accessible residential medical camp in Scottsville, Kentucky serving children ages 5–17 with disabilities and lifelong illnesses and their families. The organization delivers two core programs—week-long Independent Summer Camps for children ages 7–16 organized around specific medical diagnoses (autism, cardiac, epilepsy, diabetes, sickle cell, Down syndrome, rare genetic disorders, and 100+ others), and Family Weekend Retreats for families with children ages 5–17—and provides 24/7 on-site medical care staffed by nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, and medical students, supported by purpose-built ADA-compliant lodging, sensory rooms, a medical center with helipad, and adaptive programming. All programs are provided at zero cost to campers and families; the organization is 100% donor-funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships (notably Service One Credit Union and M&L Electrical as presenting sponsors), annual fundraising events (Stars & 6 Strings gala, Shooting for a Cause Clay Shoot, Mission Minded Leadership Luncheon), and a diversified mix of alternative giving vehicles including cryptocurrency, stocks, donor-advised funds, IRA assets, real estate, and planned giving.

The business model is community-led and donor-supported rather than revenue-generating. CCK's go-to-market relies on medical partner referrals (Graves Gilbert Clinic, Norton Children's Hospital, and other healthcare networks), family word-of-mouth, earned media, and signature events, supplemented by a digital infrastructure built on third-party platforms: CampDoc for camper registration, VOMO for volunteer management, Blackbaud Payment Service for PCI-DSS compliant donation processing, The Raiser's Edge for fundraising CRM, and CrowdSouth for web/content. Distribution is concentrated on a single campus but reaches 46 U.S. states and 13 countries. The organization has served over 46,000 campers cumulatively and approximately 3,000+ annually, with 56% of camper families living below the poverty line. CCK is led by President & CEO Darren Dannelly (appointed August 2024), VP of Development Brian Roy (appointed June 2025), Medical Director Hannah Reckart, and a Board chaired by Kendra Sewell, with no parent company, no equity capital, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

The Center For Courageous Kids

Legal name

The Center for Courageous Kids

Website

https://courageouskids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center For Courageous Kids is a Kentucky-based nonprofit operating a fully accessible residential medical camp that provides free week-long summer camps and family weekend retreats for children with disabilities and lifelong illnesses, supported by 24/7 on-site medical care and funded entirely through donations and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Medical Camping Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (62411), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Coordination & Camp Management (CCCM) (BPADADAB)

Keywords

• Medical camping services
• Pediatric recreation programs
• Accessible camp facilities
• Family retreat programs
• Disability support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support camper programs. Donations range from general support to specific initiatives like hiring staff, sending children to camp, medical center support, and facility maintenance.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial support through event sponsorships, programmatic grants, and employee giving programs. Companies like M&L Electrical and Service One Credit Union have served as presenting sponsors.
3. Annual Fundraising Events: Signature events including Stars & 6 Strings gala, Shooting for a Cause Clay Shoots, and Mission Minded Leadership Luncheon generate donations and sponsorship revenue while building community awareness.
4. Planned Giving: Estate gifts, bequests, and legacy donations from donors who include CCK in their long-term giving plans.
5. Alternative Assets: Acceptance of cryptocurrency, stocks, donor-advised funds, IRA assets, and real estate as donation vehicles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Center for Courageous Kids (CCK) provides free, medically-inclusive overnight camp experiences for children ages 7-16 with disabilities and lifelong illnesses, plus family weekend retreats for ages 5-17. Programs are 100% donor-funded, offered at no cost to families, and include 24/7 on-site medical care, accessible lodging, adaptive activities, and condition-specific programming covering 100+ medical diagnoses.

Product overview

The Center for Courageous Kids operates a dual-program model consisting of Independent Summer Camps for children ages 7-16 with specific medical conditions, and Family Weekend Retreats for families with children ages 5-17 in spring and fall. Both programs are provided entirely free of charge to families and offer accessible, medically-inclusive camp experiences. The organization provides 24/7 on-site medical care, supported by a dedicated team of medical professionals and camp staff. Additional services include comprehensive volunteer programs (single-day, weekend, and full-week options), medical volunteer opportunities for healthcare professionals, and donation programs to fund camp operations. All programs serve children with 100+ medical diagnoses including autism, cardiac conditions, diabetes, Down syndrome, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, rare genetic disorders, and sickle cell anemia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cubby's Musical Garden: An inclusive outdoor musical playground where children of all abilities can explore, create, and connect through the universal language of music.

Products and services

• Independent Summer Camp Week-long overnight camp sessions tailored to specific medical conditions for children ages 7-16. Each session is designed around a particular diagnosis with qualified medical and camp professionals providing accessible activities, confidence-building experiences, and peer connections.
• Family Weekend Retreat Weekend retreats hosted in spring and fall for families with children ages 5-17 who have medical conditions. Provides meaningful activities for all family members, opportunities for parents to find support among peers on similar journeys, and respite, joy, and lasting memories.
• 24/7 Medical Care Services Comprehensive on-site medical coverage with an equipped care center featuring exam rooms, wellness rooms, medication storage, and an on-site helipad. Medical staff includes nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, and medical students who provide continuity of care throughout camp sessions.
• Volunteer Programs Multiple volunteer pathways including Single Day Volunteers, Full Weekend Volunteers (3-day commitment, up to 40 service hours), Full Week Volunteers (6-day commitment, up to 100 service hours), and Corporate Volunteers.
• Medical Volunteer Program Week-long medical volunteer commitment for Independent Summer Camps, with on-site orientation and housing provided. Volunteers include nurses, nursing students, physicians, pharmacy students, medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who provide 24/7 medical coverage.
• Donation Programs Multiple giving options including one-time and recurring donations, cryptocurrency and stock donations, Donor Advised Funds, estate gifts, bequests, IRA assets, real estate, gift annuities, and corporate giving programs that fund free camp operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 46,000 campers served since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered notable, minor and flagship.

• Adventure Science CenternotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Partnership with Adventure Science Center helping Nashville families discover accessible spaces and medically inclusive experiences for children of all abilities. Aims to expand accessible programming awareness.
• Kentucky Deaf-Blind ProjectnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing support and resources for children with deaf-blind or dual sensory impairments, helping these families access CCK's inclusive camp programming.
• BLP Serve and Brendon SmilesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHeartfelt support organization that helped fund the dedication of Brendon's Cozy Campfire Lights at CCK, honoring former camper Brendon Priddy.
• Graves Gilbert ClinicnotableOthersMedical partner whose nurses volunteer at CCK, providing essential medical care for campers during summer camp sessions.
• Norton Children's HospitalnotableOthersMedical partner whose nurses volunteer at CCK, providing essential medical care for campers during summer camp sessions.
• M & L Electrical, Inc.flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the 7th Annual Shooting for a Cause Clay Shoot event, demonstrating significant corporate commitment to supporting CCK's mission.
• Service One Credit UnionflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the Stars & 6 Strings annual gala, providing major funding for the organization's largest annual fundraiser.
• ESBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for the Mission Minded Leadership Luncheon, supporting community leadership events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Starlight Children's Foundation: National nonprofit delivering programs (hospital wear, gaming, virtual reality) to seriously ill children and families. Comparable in mission focus on pediatric medical populations, though primarily delivers non-residential programming.

Direct peers

• Roundup River Ranch: Colorado-based free camp for children with serious illnesses and their families. Directly comparable as a SeriousFun Children's Network member providing medically supported, no-cost camp experiences.
• Camp Sunshine: Maine-based retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, offered free of charge. Comparable as a residential medically-supervised program serving children with serious illnesses and their families at no cost.
• Sunshine Kids Foundation: National nonprofit providing programs and events for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Comparable as a nonprofit serving medically complex pediatric populations through group experiences.
• The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp: Paul Newman's original Connecticut-based serious illness camp and founder of the SeriousFun Children's Network. Directly comparable free, medically supported residential camp serving children with serious medical conditions.
• Camp Boggy Creek: Serious illness children's camp founded by Paul Newman in Florida, serving children with medical conditions at no cost to families. Directly comparable as a free, medically inclusive residential camp serving similar pediatric populations.
• Victory Junction: North Carolina-based camp founded in honor of Adam Petty that serves children with serious medical conditions and chronic illnesses free of charge. Highly comparable as a residential medical camp with 24-hour on-site medical care.

Broad incumbents

• Easter Seals / Easterseals: Large national disability services nonprofit offering a broad portfolio of programs for children and adults with disabilities. Comparable in mission (disability services for children) but operates across many service lines rather than a residential camp focus.
• Special Olympics: Global organization providing sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Comparable in serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities through free programming, though focused on athletics rather than residential camping.
• Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA): National nonprofit serving people with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases, including through summer camp programs for affected children. Comparable in serving the same pediatric disability population at no cost, though broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wearecck

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 The Center For Courageous Kids