CREATING A BETTER FUTURE

A Camp designed for Children & Adults living with Chronic Illness and Special Needs.

Get to know about us

WHAT DOES "KAMASSA" MEAN?

The camp is located in Copiah County, Mississippi. "Copiah" is a Choctaw word that means, "Calling Panther." With this in mind, we contacted the Choctaws in north MS and asked for a word that would best represent the remarkable children and adults we aim to serve. "Kamassa" (pronounced Kuh-MAH-suh) is the word that was given, meaning "toughness; to persevere under difficulties and not give up." We believe this is the perfect name for this camp!

Camp Kamassa

– Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation

CREATING A BETTER FUTURE

A Camp designed for Children & Adults living with Chronic Illness and Special Needs.

Get to know about us

WHAT DOES "KAMASSA" MEAN?

The camp is located in Copiah County, Mississippi. "Copiah" is a Choctaw word that means, "Calling Panther." With this in mind, we contacted the Choctaws in north MS and asked for a word that would best represent the remarkable children and adults we aim to serve. "Kamassa" (pronounced Kuh-MAH-suh) is the word that was given, meaning "toughness; to persevere under difficulties and not give up." We believe this is the perfect name for this camp!

Camp Kamassa

– Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation

Creating a Better Future for Children and Adults Living with Special Needs! 

THE NEED

People of all ages who are affected by special needs have limited recreational opportunities in our state. There is no other year-round, barrier-free, fully accessible facility like Camp Kamassa in the state of Mississippi. 

OUR VISION

Our desire is to provide a place where ALL campers will experience the fun, adventure, educational, and therapeutic benefits of traditional camping experiences regardless of their unique abilities.

MTK kids

OUR MISSION

We have set out to build and maintain Camp Kamassa, Mississippi’s first and only year-round, fully handicap-accessible camp facility for children and adults with chronic illness, physical and intellectual challenges, and other special needs.

Julianna
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Mississippi's Toughest Kids Foundation

A PLACE TO BELONG

Camp Kamassa aims to be a place of hope, acceptance, and endless possibilities for children and adults who courageously face many obstacles, such as:

  • The challenge of living in a world not set up for their unique abilities.
  • The desire to thrive rather than just survive.
  • A yearning to be seen for their abilities, rather than their disabilities.

We believe every individual should be seen with value, gifts to contribute, and opportunities to participate, learn, and grow.

Children and adults who visit Camp Kamassa will discover a place that affirms their belonging, purpose, and unique abilities.

THE BENEFITS OF THE CAMPING EXPERIENCE

Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed.” – Hebrews 12:13 

Healed? How can a child be healed at camp?

Often, individuals with special needs come to camp carrying a lot of self-pity, bitterness, anger, sadness, or loneliness. Being part of a camp can increase confidence and independence. Campers develop friendships and build relationships both with other campers and with caring counselors. Spending several days with others who face the same challenges can truly encourage and promote healing. The many planned activities are great for needed exercise and encourage imagination, learning, and adventure. Campers often try out new things and achieve more than they ever thought they could. They come away changed, motivated, and inspired! So often, campers will say that camp is the best part of their year - something they look forward to with eagerness and excitement.

While it’s essential for a medical camp to have nurses and doctors available to attend to the campers’ medical requirements, it’s also important to note that these medical professionals engage in recreational activities at camp. This allows campers to not only receive medical care but also to form genuine connections with the same professionals in a relaxed environment. These relationships often endure beyond the camp experience. 

FIND YOUR CAMP

What they’re saying

TESTIMONIALS

KAMASSA UPDATES & NEWS

PREPARATIONS CONTINUE

Aerial view of Camp Kamassa's campus.

Our campus continues to grow. The cafeteria, infirmary, and chapel are being completed, a new recreation field is about to be installed and our staff are about to move out to their temporary office space! We are hard at work preparing for our grand opening this Spring!

MOHAWK NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Tanya Mohawk, Executive Director

We are happy to announce that Tanya Mohawk has officially stepped in to the Executive Director role for Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation (MTK). Tanya’s years of dedication and innovation make her the perfect person to step in to this role. We are grateful for her passion and leadership!

How you can help

HAVE YOU HEARD? WE'RE OPENING IN 2025!

Our campus is nearing the point where we can begin hosting groups and events. We are SO EXCITED! With this preparation, there are many items needed to make the facility functional for our campers and guests. Please view our Wish List and consider how you might be able to offset some of these expenses for Camp Kamassa. We appreciate your support!

CAMP KAMASSA'S FIRST CAMP

Camp Kamassa welcomed Radically Against Dystrophy (RAD) in July 2024 to test out the accessibility of our facilities. Check out the highlights below.

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Creating a better future for those with special needs

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Mississippi S Toughest Kids Foundation