MAYFIELD, Ky. — Camp Graves received a grant from the Community Foundation of West Kentucky of $150,000. The nonprofit organization is located in Paducah and has assisted Camp Graves since before the tornado.
Camp Graves is a nonprofit organization located in Water Valley in Graves County. Its mission is to provide temporary interim housing for those displaced by disasters.
Camp Graves, a Mayfield based nonprofit who helps people experiencing housing issues with interim housing, was presented a check for $150,000. The grant will be used to complete the renovations made to Camp Rendezvous, a facility dedicated to helping struggling veterans. From left to right, Chris Cox, Ted Garrett, Chris Dockins, Isaac Madding, Shane Copeland. Photo taken April 3, 2024.
The grant will house nine veteran residents and will renovate Camp Rendezvous. They will add a recreation room, group room, and office space for the veteran's work center.
Homelessness among veterans has been an issue for a long time, with the number of American veterans experiencing homelessness in 2023 being more than 35,000, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Chris Dockins with the Community Foundation of West Kentucky makes out the large check that was presented to Camp Graves for $150,000. Photo taken April 3, 2024.
Since the tornado came through Mayfield in 2021, the homelessness problem in the community has gotten worse, but one local organization is working to change that with the help of a new grant.
Cassy Basham is the office manager for Camp Graves and said Camp Graves can also help community members devastated by the December 2021 tornado by offering resources to help fill their needs. Basham said several organizations have assisted, but this grant gave them the "boost" they needed to move forward with renovations.
"Our primary focus is trying to get tornado survivors into their permanent homes by helping them with stabilities," Basham said. "Providing supportive services to residents to help them break cycles, (and) to help them obtain and maintain permanent housing and financial stability."
She said the organization also wants to fill services that were lost during the tornado, which is what they are trying to do with Camp Rendezvous. The camp is a veteran work center designed to house veterans displaced by the tornado. Basham said veterans must be referred to the work center through a veteran services organization.
"Veteran homelessness is its own crisis and has been for a long time," Basham said. "But through the support services, we've helped to, within 18 months, to be able to assist them in getting permanent housing."
Basham said they project to have renovations for both Camp Graves and Camp Rendezvous completed by July. Basham said they were "very surprised" and "very blessed" to receive the grant.
"I might have cried a little bit," Basham said. "Because we are so passionate, and we love what we do."
To support Camp Graves and its cause, call the office at 270-568-0032; donate directly to the website at www.campgraves.org; or mail a check directly to the organization.
