• Search for:

    Blog

    1. Home
    28Mar, 2023
    Give At-Risk Children a Summer Camp Experience

    Every child deserves an opportunity to go to camp… no matter what hardship they face.

    For over 17 years Breakaway Outreach has been providing life-changing adventure camp experiences for at-risk and underserved children. We offer summer camp scholarships for kids affected by economic insecurity, family hardship, trauma, parental incarceration, domestic violence, and other ACEs (adverse childhood experiences). Our camps are places of refuge where Psalm 82:3-4 is fleshed out over and over again…

    “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

    Virtually all of the campers we serve through our flagship “Camp Elevate” program would not be able to experience a summer camp without our community partners providing them full or partial scholarships… FIND OUT MORE

    1Mar, 2023
    Korea Missions Update

    Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest report on Breakaway partnerships emerging on the Korean peninsula for sports ministry, English camps, and outreach to justice impacted youth.

      I prefer to receive the newsletter via:

       

      3Feb, 2023
      Tony Dungy Suber Bowl Outreach Video Resource

      Former NFL coach Tony Dungy talks about the purpose of pain in our faith journey. Dungy shares how hardships in the NFL and the personal tragedy of losing his own son have affected his faith. Approximate running time is 15 minutes and the Gospel-centered message makes for an excellent Super Bowl outreach and evangelistic tool.

      Tony Dungy’s words and example have intrigued millions of people, particularly following his victory in Super Bowl XLI, the first for an African American coach. How is it possible for a coach—especially a football coach—to win the respect of his players and lead them to the Super Bowl without the screaming histrionics, the profanities, and the demand that the sport come before anything else? How is it possible for anyone to be successful without compromising faith and family?

      As a devout follower of Jesus Christ, Dungy has earned widespread respect both on and off the field due to what many see as strong convictions and high personal standards of ethics and behavior, which affect his behavior as both a coach and as a member of his community. He has been active in many community service organizations in the cities in which he has coached. While coaching in Tampa Bay, Dungy worked as a public speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action.

      He began a mentoring program for young people called Mentors for Life, and provided Buccaneers’ tickets for the participants. He also supported other charitable programs in the area such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, the Prison Crusade Ministry, foster parenting organizations, and Family First. His community involvement and care continues in Indianapolis where Tony helped launch the Basket of Hope program which aids patients at the Riley Hospital for Children.

      Below is a Teaser, but not the entire video:

      6Jan, 2023
      Bible Camp Theme or VBS Curriculum: KING DAVID

      VBS Curriculum: KING DAVID “A Different Kind”

      This Bible camp theme and VBS curriculum is based on the Old Testament story of David. His story teaches us that when God wants to use someone for a great purpose, He doesn’t choose them based on outward appearances, He looks at their heart. David was a “different kind” of teenager, soldier, musician, friend, servant, and leader. Though he was imperfect and made many mistakes in his life, he sets an example of overcoming evil with good. This curriculum focuses on his early life and how it ultimately points to a “different kind” of love and the new life we find in Jesus. 

      This resource was designed as a camp curriculum for children 8-12 years of age but can also serve as a VBS theme, a 5-week Sunday morning children’s ministry teaching series, Sunday School curriculum, Backyard Bible club, or kids’ sports camp curriculum. Each lesson has a “Gospel Connection” connecting David to Jesus and what that means for us.

      • (DAY ONE) A Different Kind of Heart
      • (DAY TWO) A Different Kind of Courage
      • (DAY THREE) A Different Kind of King
      • (DAY FOUR) A Different Kind of Love
      • (DAY FIVE) A Different Kind of Life

      Includes:

      • Lesson Guides (5 Sessions)
      • Inductive Bible Study Questions
      • Group & Team Building Activities
      • Object Lessons & Illustrations
      • Craft Ideas & Music Playlist (*Links)
      • Printable Handouts (Talk Sheets)
      • Logo Files & 4K Media Graphics
      • T-Shirt Logo Design

      *Contents does not include craft supplies or music audio files, just craft ideas with links to suggested materials as well as a short playlist of ideal songs to go with each daily lesson theme.

      David is one of the Bible’s most powerful characters… flawed, incredibly human, yet called “a man after God’s own heart.”

      We can learn a lot from the life of David. In Hebrew, the name David means “beloved.” David was born in 1040 BC, and was the youngest son of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10-11). He is described as handsome and ruddy with beautiful eyes (1 Samuel 16:12). He was anointed as a boy to be God’s chosen king by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel. 16:13), and from that day forward, the Holy Spirit remained with him for the rest of his life.

      David started life as a shepherd-boy. He quickly grew into a brave teenager who protected his flock from hungry lions. He defeated a giant named Goliath when all the King’s soldiers were too scared to fight. He was very musical, playing a harp, the nearest thing they had in those days to a guitar. His psalms are masterpieces, capturing human guilt, longing, joy, hope and faith.

      David was kind and respectful to King Saul, even though Saul was jealous and tried to kill David numerous times. David wasn’t overcome by evil, but overcame evil with good. Like other flawed human beings, David made some big mistakes in his life, but he knew how to say sorry and put things right. He became the most famous King that Israel ever had!

      His story teaches us that when God wants to use someone for a great purpose, He doesn’t choose them based on outward appearances, He looks at their heart.

       

       

      27Oct, 2022
      Winter Break Camp for Disadvantaged Children

      winter break camp

      Breakaway’s KidVenturez program will be providing a winter break adventure camp experience for disadvantaged children in our community, December 28—31.

      • Delicious holiday meals
      • S’mores around the campfire
      • Laser tag
      • Hot chocolate
      • Recreation and team building activities

      We serve kids affected by parental incarceration, economic insecurity, trauma, and a wide array of other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). These children depend on full or partial scholarships from community partners to help send them to camp. You can use the link below to make a secure donation to sponsor a child for winter camp. A full scholarship is $145.



      Breakaway Outreach
      P.O. Box 3452
      Cleveland, TN 37320

      10Oct, 2022
      2022 Camp Year in Review

      2022 “Camp Year in Review” Highlights

      If you’d like to learn more about the great work God is doing through our camp partnerships and discover opportunities to join us in the mission, just send us your contact info!

      Highlights include:

      • Camps in Tennessee and Alabama for at-risk kids
      • East Tennessee baseball camp for youth ages 6-14
      • NASCAR KidVenturez retreat for boys
      • Sports camps in Northern Ireland, England, Italy
      • Winter English camp at an orphanage and baseball ministry in Dominican Republic

       

      bristol motor speedway
      4Aug, 2022
      The NASCAR KidVenturez Experience

      nascar bristol motor speedway

      Our NASCAR KidVenturez weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway has been a 12-year tradition. This action packed weekend for boys offers enrichment around the thrill of motorsports along with outdoor adventure. Our group participates in many speedway festivities before attending the night race followed by a Sunday morning chapel time. This is one of our most popular KidVenturez experiences.

      The Bass Pro Shops Night Race

      The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. It is one of two NASCAR Cup Series races held at Bristol, the other being the Food City 500, but it is by far the more popular of the two. The race is currently the final race in the NASCAR playoffs’ Round of 16.

      Bristol Motor Speedway

      Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all-concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks. The track is billed as the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”, even though that designation technically belongs to the Volusia Speedway Park dirt track.

      Bristol Motor Speedway is the fourth-largest sports venue in America and the tenth largest in the world, seating up to 153,000 people. The speeds are far lower than is typical on most NASCAR oval tracks, but they are very fast compared to other short tracks due to the high banking. Those features make for a considerable amount of car contact at the NASCAR races as the initial starting grid of 40 vehicles each in the Cup and Xfinity Series, and 32 in the Truck Series, extends almost halfway around the track, meaning slower qualifiers begin the race almost half a lap down.

      5Apr, 2022
      The Mentor Toolbox: A Handbook for Mentoring Youth

      Every young person deserves to have a caring, committed mentor in their life to listen and help them realize their God-given potential.

      For over 28 years, Breakaway Outreach has been enriching the lives of young people through a myriad of mentoring relationship contexts (churches, schools, neighborhoods, recovery programs, juvenile detention centers, youth chaplaincy services, sports coaching, re-entry and aftercare ministries, orphan and foster care, domestic violence outreach, and much more).

      In this handbook you will find a treasure trove of wisdom gleaned from the experiences of hundreds of our volunteers over the past two and a half decades.

      Mentoring Chapters

      1. Introduction: Mentoring Matters
      2. The Role of a Mentor
      3. Biblical Examples of Mentoring
      4. Mistakes and Pitfalls to Avoid
      5. Getting the Mentoring Relationship Off to a Good Start
      6. Sample Match Icebreaker: Getting to Know Each Other
      7. Give the Young Person a Voice and Choice
      8. 100 Activity Ideas for Mentors and Mentees
      9. 30 Conversation Starters for Mentors and Mentees
      10. Faith-Based Mentoring (for Discipleship)
      11. 100 “Make-a-Difference” Quotes(to keep you motivated!)

       

      Research consistently reveals the long-term positive effects of mentoring.

      • Increased high school graduation rates
      • Lower high school dropout rates
      • Healthier relationships and lifestyle choices
      • Better attitude about school
      • Higher college enrollment rates and higher educational aspirations
      • Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence
      • Improved behavior, both at home and at school
      • Stronger relationships with parents, teachers, and peers
      • Improved interpersonal skills
      • Decreased likelihood of initiating drug and alcohol use

      (MENTOR, 2009; Cavell, DuBois, Karcher, Keller, and Rhodes, 2009)

      Mentoring has also been linked in studies to social-emotional development benefits, improvements in youth perceptions of parental relationships, and better prospects for moving on to higher education. Mentoring can help youth as they go through challenging life transitions, including dealing with stressful changes at home or transitioning to adulthood. Close, healthy, supportive relationships between mentors and mentees that last for a significant portion of time (i.e., more than one year) are central to success. Without this, mentoring programs run the risk of harming young people who are paired with mentors ill-equipped to meet the mentees’ needs. Specifically, relationships with mentors that last less than three months; where there is irregular and inconsistent contact; where there is a disconnect between the personalities, interests, and expectations of the mentors and mentees; where mentors are unprepared and lack skills to relate to youth; and where there is no emotional bond between the mentor and mentee have been found to be harmful to youth (Jekielek et al., 2002; Rhodes & DuBois, 2006). “The Mentor Toolbox” can help you, or your volunteers, become more equipped to go the distance in your mentoring efforts.

      4Apr, 2022
      UK Baseball Mission Trips (Belfast and Bristol)

      Baseball Ministry (UK Mission Trips)

      Join us for an exciting missions opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus using the game of baseball to reach youth/children with the gospel and make disciples. Whether you are a returning Breakaway missions team member or looking to serve with us for the first time, these baseball camps offer turnkey models for stepping right in and making a difference with your love for Jesus and passion for the game of baseball. The Belfast camp will serve children ages 5-11 and the Bristol camp will serve ages 9-13. Contact us for more details if you are interested in either or both of these 2022 UK baseball missions opportunities, or for information about other Breakaway baseball camps in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.

      3Apr, 2022
      Sponsor At-Risk Children for Summer Camp

      Every child should have the opportunity to go to camp… it’s an unforgettable adventure that has indelible impact for years to come…

      For over 16 years Breakaway Outreach has been providing life-changing adventure camp experiences for at-risk and underserved children. We offer summer camp scholarships for kids affected by economic insecurity, family hardship, trauma, parental incarceration, domestic violence, and other ACEs (adverse childhood experiences). Our camps have been a place of refuge for the orphaned, the distressed, and the fatherless. Virtually all of the campers we serve would not be able to experience a summer camp without our community partners providing them full or partial scholarships.

      Your gift can make a difference today and build HOPE for tomorrow…

      Find out more about how your sponsorship can begin a process of healing and be the gift that keeps on giving. READ MORE

      This summer our campers will be learning about the story of Jonah and the God of second chances, how God is relentless in His pursuit of us and how He loves us too much to give up on us. We will also see through this story how we are to show mercy to others, including those who have wronged us in the past (our own “Ninevites”).

      DONATIONS: We need partners who are willing to help with full or partial scholarships to give kids camping experiences that shape eternity in their hearts and build resilience in their lives. A gift of $300 will provide a full scholarship for a child to attend summer camp. A gift of $60 will sponsor a child for a day (2 days $120). A gift of $2,400 will fill a cabin (8 campers). Any GIFT amount (full or partial scholarship) makes a HUGE difference! You can make a secure online donation by clicking the “DONATE” button or mail your check to the address below.



      Breakaway Outreach
      P.O. Box 3452
      Cleveland, TN 37320