A Message from our Senior Advisor of Native Partnerships, Diana Cournoyer  Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 12) is an opportunity to celebrate the strength, cultures, knowledge, and enduring presence of Native and Indigenous peoples. At Camp Fire, it is also a time to reflect on our responsibility to continue learning, repair

Young people are always watching us. The question is: what are they learning?  As a values-led organization since 1910, helping young people develop strong character has been at the core of who we are. Perhaps you’ve heard the adage, “Character is who you are when no one is watching”? We define character as

Strategic plans often focus on the what: goals, metrics, timelines. But we began our most recent strategic planning process with a different framework: HOW should it be created in a way that honors each element of our ecosystem–from National Headquarters, to local affiliates of all sizes, to frontline program leaders,

Leaders from across the U.S. bring public policy, risk management, technology, and organizational development expertise to the legacy youth organization FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kansas City, MO – [Dec. 20, 2025] –  Camp Fire, an innovative national youth development organization founded in 1910, welcomes four new leaders to its National Board

As we close out 2025, we’re taking a moment to breathe, look back, and celebrate what we built together this year.   From expanding youth safety and well-being to repairing the harm our organization has caused by cultural appropriation, to forging new partnerships, 2025 was a year where the Camp Fire community truly

The Camp Fire community has lost one of its brightest flames. Susan “Suz” Welch, a trailblazer who devoted more than six decades to youth development and the camping movement, passed away on November 6, 2025, at age 85. Like the best camp counselors, Suz had a gift for seeing potential

Originally released on PR Newswire Native-Owned Chocolate Brand to be Signature Fundraising Centerpiece for Youth Across the U.S. to Learn Life Skills and Attend Camp [Kansas City, Nov. 12, 2025] – Through an exclusive partnership with the Native-owned Puyallup Chocolates, Camp Fire youth will sell one of the world’s newest

Camp Fire has a 115-year legacy of connecting young people to the outdoors, to others, and to themselves. While the way we’ve done it might have evolved, the quality and commitment of our programs and leaders are what have kept young people and families walking through our doors. At our

For nearly 70 years, generations of Camp Fire youth learned sales skills, built confidence, and shared joy through the classic mint patties that became a symbol of the season. When that long chapter came to a close in 2024, our community began searching for what could come next.  What we