Camp Barakel

What Camp Barakel does

Camp Barakel is a year-round, Christ-centered nonprofit camp located in Fairview, Michigan, in continuous operation since 1942. The organization serves youth, families, and adults across northeast Michigan through a tiered summer camp portfolio segmented by age (Explorer, Junior, Middle School, Jr. High, Sr. High), a specialized HIS-ability program for campers with disabilities, Family Camp, Bible Immersion Week, and seasonal fall, winter, and spring retreats for teens, adults, and parent-child groups. Faith-based programming — daily chapel, Bible teaching, and recorded chapel messages — anchors the value proposition alongside outdoor recreation on Shear Lake and use of the historic Blockhouse facility.

Revenue is generated primarily through per-camper registration fees and donations, with online registration available for all events except Family Camp. Distribution is community-driven rather than technology-driven: demand is sourced through local church partnerships, youth group referrals, word-of-mouth among past families, and a website with content assets (photos, Vimeo videos, chapel messages, chapel songs). Supplemental programs include volunteer pathways for high school students, adults, and Resident Missionary Staff, a Study and Serve track, and a Camper Mail service that allows supporters to message campers during programs.

The organization employs 11–50 staff and operates without a proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or disclosed AI capability. The most recent documented operational event is a 2020 maintenance shop fire, after which operations continued. There is no evidence of institutional investment, parent company, acquisitions, or geographic expansion beyond the single Fairview facility, and ownership is consistent with a typical faith-based nonprofit governance structure (board-led, donation-supported).

Name

Camp Barakel

Legal name

Camp Barakel

Website

https://campbarakel.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Camp Barakel is a year-round, Christ-centered nonprofit camp in Fairview, Michigan, serving youth, families, and adults through summer camps, seasonal retreats, and volunteer programs supported by local church referrals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Camp / Religious Retreat Center

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

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

Keywords

• Christian summer camps
• Youth retreat programs
• Family camp weekends
• Religious retreat center
• Faith-based camping

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairview

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

Revenue model

1. Camp Registration Fees: Revenue is generated through registration fees for various camp programs including summer camps for different age groups (Explorer, Junior, Middle School, Jr. High, Sr. High, HIS-ability), family camps, and seasonal retreats (Teen, Adult, Parent & Child). The camp also accepts donations and has volunteer programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Camp Barakel operates year-round, Christ-centered overnight summer camps, seasonal retreats, and volunteer service programs for youth, families, and adults. Programming is anchored in chapel-based ministry and outdoor recreation, set on a 200+ acre property with Shear Lake waterfront in northeast Michigan. The organization has served Christian campers continuously since its founding in 1942.

Product overview

Camp Barakel is a year-round, Christ-centered Christian camp in northeast Michigan. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of camp programs including summer camps (Explorer, Junior, Middle School, Jr. High, Sr. High, HIS-ability, Family Camp, Bible Immersion Week) and seasonal retreats (Teen, Adult, Parent & Child). Additionally, the camp provides volunteer programs (High School, Adult, Resident Missionary, Study and Serve), media content (Photos & Videos, Chapel Messages, Chapel Songs), and services including Camper Mail and online registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Explorer Camp Summer overnight Christian camp for children ages 6-8, featuring age-appropriate recreation, chapel programming, and Shear Lake waterfront activities at Camp Barakel in northeast Michigan.
• Junior Camp Summer overnight Christian camp for children ages 9-11, with outdoor recreation, chapel sessions, and waterfront activities at Camp Barakel.
• Middle School Camp Summer overnight Christian camp for adolescents ages 12-14, combining recreation, waterfront activities, and chapel-based teaching at Camp Barakel.
• Junior High Camp Summer overnight Christian camp for junior-high-aged youth, providing recreation and chapel ministry at Camp Barakel.
• Senior High Camp Summer overnight Christian camp for senior-high-aged teens, providing recreation, waterfront activities, and chapel ministry at Camp Barakel.
• HIS-ability Camp Christian summer camp specifically designed to include campers with disabilities, providing adapted recreation, chapel programming, and support at Camp Barakel.
• Bible Immersion Week Week-long intensive Scripture-study program held at Camp Barakel, focused on Bible immersion combined with camp recreation.
• Family Camp Multi-generational weekend retreat at Camp Barakel offering families shared lodging, meals, recreation, and chapel programming.
• Teen Retreat Seasonal chapel-centered retreat for teenagers held outside of summer at Camp Barakel's northeast Michigan property.
• Adult Retreat Seasonal retreat for adults featuring chapel ministry, fellowship, and recreation at Camp Barakel.
• Parent & Child Retreat Seasonal retreat designed for a parent attending together with their child, combining recreation and chapel ministry at Camp Barakel.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Henry: Christian summer and family camp in Michigan offering youth overnight camps and group retreats. Closely comparable in religious programming, regional geography, and mix of summer youth + off-season retreat revenue.
• Camp Michawana: Year-round Christian camp in Michigan offering summer youth camps, family camps, and retreats for church and youth groups. Directly comparable across mission, programming mix, and regional footprint.
• Kresge Camps: Nonprofit Christian camp in Michigan delivering youth overnight summer programs and retreat services. Matches Camp Barakel on nonprofit structure, faith-based programming, and Michigan geography.
• Camp Westminster: Christian camp and conference center in Michigan offering summer youth camps, family camps, and year-round group retreats. Comparable in faith-based mission, Michigan geography, and year-round retreat utilization.
• Timber Wolf Lake Camp: Michigan Christian summer camp and retreat facility running youth overnight programs and church group retreats. Directly comparable across mission, geography, and program mix.
• Camp Lake Louise: Christian youth summer camp in northern Michigan with overnight programming for multiple age groups and seasonal retreat offerings. Comparable in faith-based mission, Michigan geography, and multi-age summer camp portfolio.
• SpringHill Camps: Michigan-based Christ-centered summer camp and retreat organization running multi-week youth overnight camps, family camps, and seasonal retreats. Directly comparable to Camp Barakel in faith-based mission, regional Michigan footprint, multi-age program ladder, and year-round retreat usage.
• Living Water Ministries: Michigan-based Christian camp ministry operating summer youth camps and retreat programs for churches and families. Comparable in nonprofit faith-based model, Michigan geography, and church-network referral GTM.
• Cedar Ridge Ministries: Michigan-based Christian camp and retreat center offering summer youth camps and group retreats. Comparable in religious mission, regional Michigan market, and combined camp/retreat revenue model.
• Indian Lake Nazarene Camp: Nazarene-affiliated summer camp in Michigan running multi-age youth overnight programs and church retreats. Comparable in faith-based mission, summer camp portfolio, and church-referral GTM.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-barakel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Barakel