Letter from the President & CEO

Greetings, 

When I think of 2025, one particular word comes to mind: growth! Last year was filled with so many exciting opportunities to strengthen our programs, uplift youth voices, and improve our property. None of this growth would have been possible without the support of our incredible community. Thank you! 

Here are some of the amazing things we accomplished in 2025: 

•  For the first time in our camp’s history, we served over 11,000 youth in one year! The enhancements we made to our programs and our property greatly increased our capacity, so more youth could enjoy the outdoors at Camp Fire Minnesota.  

•  Our waterfront got a major upgrade! Thanks to generous support from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation and the Fred C. and Katherine B. Anderson Foundation, we implemented sustainable design features that stabilize the shoreline, reduce runoff, and improve access to the lake for swimming, boating, fishing, and outdoor learning. This was a great opportunity for us to be better stewards of this beautiful lake! 

•  With the support of the No Child Left Inside grant, we launched our first-ever Afterschool Leadership Council, designed for middle school students who previously participated in our Afterschool Explorers K–5 program. This gave youth the chance to develop leadership skills while connecting to nature through immersive hikes, canoeing, woodland camping, and more.

•  After a lot of thoughtful planning and research, we built the recruitment process for young people to join our Board for the very first time. Our efforts set the stage for two youth members to join our Board in the winter of 2026. This was a tremendous step towards our goal of co-creating youth experiences, which lies at the heart of our strategic plan. 

•  We amplified the voices of the youth we serve through our Stories of Belonging series and our Budding Experts blog posts. These projects helped young people talk about their outdoor experiences in their own unique way.

I am sincerely grateful to everyone – our youth, staff, donors, partners, neighbors, families, and volunteers – for making 2025 such a momentous year for Camp Fire Minnesota. It’s an honor to have you by our side as we work to help all young Minnesotans learn and grow in nature.    

Sincerely,

Kori Redepenning
President & CEO

Our Programs

With nature as our catalyst, we energize youth to discover their spark so their futures glow brighter.

Afterschool Explorers
In partnership with Twin Cities metro schools, we focus on connecting young people who face barriers to accessing nature with engaging outdoor learning opportunities at their school, in their community, and on-site.

PreK-12 Environmental Education
Our hands-on, nature-based field trips, virtual lessons, and in-class visits tie directly to Minnesota State Education Standards or focus on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). The curriculum is designed around Camp Fire’s diverse ecosystem and customized to supplement in-class learning.

Summer & School Break Camps
Young people in our camp programs gain nature-based experiences that help them build confidence and leadership skills, develop new relationships, and connect with the outdoors.

Financials

To see the full 2025 Consolidated Financial Statements please click here.

Thank you to our staff, Board & Trustees, and donors!

View the full list of staff, Board & Trustees here.

View the full list of donors here.