Courage Ministries began in the summer of 2020 when most camps and activities were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many local churches were unable to host vacation Bible schools and other summer activities for children, so Clark Giansanti had an idea…create an all-outdoor summer camp at a local forest preserve and invite everyone he knew to send their children. Clark shared his vision with a couple of close friends, reached out to other trusted youth leaders, and the Courage vision began to take shape. Together, they started planning, developing, and eventually running 4 weeks of camp at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles, IL. What an amazing summer that was! Courage Ministries served over 225 campers with weekly adventure camps full of games, exploration, and Bible lessons. Courage Ministries' camps offered these kids an opportunity to develop new friendships, strengthen relationships, and safely enjoy being part of a group after the isolation and loneliness that came with pandemic restrictions. 

 

The following summer, we continued with Courage Ministries, and our numbers soared to over 400 campers served. We added scholarship opportunities to children in financial need and refugee families in our area. In 2022, we served just under 1,000 campers. In 2023, Courage Ministries had become its own not-for-profit and served over 1,000 campers. Moving into 2024, we are beyond excited to see what God does in the upcoming years. We have been incredibly blessed with amazing staff members, supportive mentors, fantastic campers/parents/caregivers, and we have seen God’s grace over everything we have accomplished, planned, and prepared for.