When Zac Brown founded Camp Southern Ground in Georgia in 2011, he wanted to create more than a summer camp. He wanted a place where children, veterans and military families could step away from daily pressures, build confidence, form friendships and find a sense of purpose. Fifteen years later, that vision has grown into a 400-acre campus in Fayetteville with an 11.5-acre USDA Certified Organic farm, sustainability-focused buildings and programmes designed to serve people at different stages of life, as per Camp Southern Ground’s website.The organisation marked its fifteenth anniversary in June 2026, describing the milestone as a celebration of the thousands of children, veterans and military families who have found belonging, connection and opportunity there. Its work now extends well beyond campfires and outdoor activities. Camp Southern Ground offers inclusive summer programming for children, free programmes for veterans, and family-focused support for those whose lives have been shaped by military service.At the heart of the campus is a practical idea: good food, time outdoors and meaningful connection can help people grow. The farm supplies three meals a day for campers and veterans, while the wider organisation uses music, recreation, education and peer support to help participants build skills that last long after they leave Georgia. Read more about it here:
A camp built around inclusion
Camp Southern Ground was created to welcome children from many backgrounds and with many different needs. Its summer camp model focuses on belonging, social-emotional learning and character development, an approach that earned national recognition when the National Summer Learning Association awarded the organisation its Summer Learning Legacy Award in February 2026.The camp has also received accreditation from the National Inclusion Project, a recognition that reflects its commitment to serving children of different backgrounds and abilities. For families, that matters because a camp experience is only meaningful if every child can take part fully rather than being placed on the edge of the activity.Camp Southern Ground has continued to develop that inclusive approach through partnerships and new facilities. In 2025, the Peachtree City Rotary Club helped create a sensory path on campus, giving campers another way to explore, recharge and connect with nature. The organisation has also worked with Generation WE to use storytelling and art to help young people express themselves and recognise the value of their own experiences.
The farm that feeds the campus
The 11.5-acre USDA Certified Organic farm is one of the most visible parts of Camp Southern Ground’s mission. It helps supply three meals a day for campers and veterans, with chef-prepared meals following a gluten-free, allergen-free and anti-inflammatory diet. The farm is not simply a food source. It is also a classroom. Campers can spend time in a one-acre demonstration garden, prepare a dish with their own hands and see where their meals begin before they reach the dining hall. According to the organisation, 71 percent of campers tried a new food last year, a sign that hands-on exposure can make healthy eating feel less intimidating.Camp Southern Ground says reconnecting people with the origins of their food helps them understand food sources, develop healthier habits and consider the environmental impact of how food is grown and transported. In that sense, the farm supports both personal wellbeing and a broader lesson in sustainability.
Sustainability is part of the design
The organisation’s environmental commitments extend beyond the organic farm. Its campus includes LEED-certified buildings designed to combine modern technology, architecture and sustainability. Materials such as zinc siding, which the organisation says is 100 percent recyclable, are intended to help the buildings last for decades.The campus also uses Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems alongside a geothermal ground loop system, which draws on groundwater from strategically placed wells to help condition air before it enters buildings. A five-acre solar field is intended to allow the camp to operate off the power grid during the day and possibly overnight.Those systems are paired with smaller practical measures, including LED and low-voltage lighting, computer-managed lighting systems and occupancy sensors that prevent energy waste in empty spaces. The organisation also says it uses hypoallergenic green seal cleaning products and recyclable materials to protect guests and reduce environmental impact.
Support for veterans and military families
While the farm and summer camp are central to the campus, Camp Southern Ground’s work with veterans has become a major part of its identity. Its Warrior Programmes are offered free of charge to veterans nationwide and are designed to help service members and their families find purpose, connection and growth after military service.One of the organisation’s best-known offerings is Warrior PATHH, a programme focused on post-traumatic growth. The camp says it helps veterans navigate life after service by providing community, understanding and practical tools for recovery and personal development.The organisation also brings military families together through programmes such as its work with TAPS. In March 2025, 16 Gold Star families gathered at Camp Southern Ground for a weekend focused on healing, connection and joy. The camp has also continued its partnership with Camp Corral, which provides summer camp experiences for children of wounded, ill and fallen military heroes.
Music as a bridge
Music remains closely tied to the camp’s identity, partly because of Brown’s background as the founder of Zac Brown Band. The organisation’s Warrior Song programme brings veteran singer-songwriters together for several days of collaboration, mentorship and creative development.In 2025, the fourth annual Warrior Song brought together veteran artists for intensive songwriting sessions and guidance from industry professionals. The camp described the programme as a way to help participants develop creatively while also building connection with others who understand the transition from military service.Music also plays a public role in fundraising and awareness. Camp Southern Ground hosted its inaugural Unsung Hero LIVE benefit concert in November 2025, followed by a second Unsung Hero event in 2026, headlined by Emily Ann Roberts. The organisation says the concerts celebrate veterans, music and the stories that inspire people, with proceeds supporting its Warrior Programmes.
Fifteen years of growth
Camp Southern Ground’s fifteenth year has included both reflection and expansion. The organisation reported that 2025 was a year of growth, with more children, veterans and military families served than ever before, along with new moments of connection, fresh food grown on campus and expanded campus resources.Leadership has also changed. Longtime chief executive Mike Dobbs retired after a decade in the role, and the board named Michael Caimona, a Navy veteran and experienced executive, as the organisation’s next CEO beginning in May 2026. The organisation says his background reflects a continued commitment to the veteran community.For Brown, the camp’s longevity is the clearest evidence that its original idea still matters. What began as one founder’s vision has become a working farm, a summer camp, a veteran support centre and a gathering place for families. Fifteen years later, Camp Southern Ground continues to show that a meal grown on site, a shared campfire and a community that understands your experience can be powerful forms of care.