Just a Few of the Ways Businesses Fuel Camp
You might not always think of businesses being such an important part of Young Life camp, but over the years, we’ve seen businesses and professionals come together to get creative with how they’re using their professional backgrounds to make these camps happen.
The intersection of faith and work has been more and more of a topic of conversation. We know there’s obvious power in people being in direct ministry. We see that day in and day out with Young Life club and how we keep local ministry humming along all over the globe. However, there are literally MILLIONS of adults surrounding Young Life ministry who are not in day-to-day ministry, but instead have amazing talents used in supporting Young Life camp ministry, and you may not have even realized it.
Here’s just a few of the ways our professional network is rallying around camp:
Medical Care
Our camps literally cannot happen without trained medical professionals on site, designated to cover care like medication distribution, triaging sickness and minor injuries, and assessing major emergencies that could happen. They’re often the unsung heroes we don’t realize we need until we really need them. Many are volunteering their days off or even paid time off, to come serve. If you see a nurse or doctor today, thank them for what they’re doing!
Donating Materials and Products
When Lee Snyder, a former Malibu work crew member, co-founded VaproShield, a high-performance moisture barrier used in commercial construction, he didn’t forget his roots. He and his business partner have donated the product to Malibu’s construction projects, covering a real line-item cost that would otherwise come out of ministry funds. It’s practical generosity rooted in relationship.
Making Every Order Count
Raley Parker has found a way to turn sandwiches and pizza into camp scholarships. Across his multiple Jersey Mike’s locations and a Colorado joint venture with Fox’s Pizza, run alongside business partner Josh Hicks, a percentage of revenue goes directly to sponsoring DGL students, which includes staffing and adult supervision to make camp happen around the globe. The restaurants also display student profiles prominently, so customers know exactly who they’re supporting when they place an order.
Funding Experiences That Change People
Hosanna Revival, founded by Katie Guiliano after her own encounter with Young Life camp, creates faith-centered products centered around Bible engagement. The company has channeled that connection into action by regularly sponsoring staff members on Young Life’s immersive trips, including climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s a benefit that rewards employees, builds morale, and deepens the company’s ties to a mission they believe in.
Turning Coffee into Community
Brooke Payne’s journey with Cutters Point Coffee eventually led somewhere unexpected: a 501(c)(3) called 41&Change, born out of a partnership with a Young Life camp in Nicaragua. The camp was already growing and selling coffee, and Brooke’s team helped formalize that into a sustainable business. The result benefits everyone involved. Local farmers receive wages 25% above market rate, proceeds help Nicaraguan youth attend camp, and young people in North America can sell the coffee to fund their own camp experiences.
Reaching Millions Through Partnership
Joe Gibbs Racing has partnered with the Young Life Foundation during their 2026 NASCAR season, putting the ministry’s name in front of audiences who may never have encountered it otherwise. Reach like that is hard to manufacture, and this kind of partnership opens doors for awareness that traditional outreach simply can’t replicate. The partnership with the Foundation helps fund multiple legacy funds, including the Campership Legacy Fund, which ensures there are campership funds for decades to come with end-of-life gifts.
Want to connect your business with Young Life camping? Let us know at camping@younglife.org.
