About Us
A Mission of Hope and Healing for At-Risk Youth
Camp 1315 is an outreach of Tricord Ministries, founded by Dean and Val Piacentini. Built on years of ministry work in Easton, Pennsylvania, Camp 1315 is dedicated to empowering children and teens in foster care through mentorship, education, and hands-on life skills programs. Our mission is to create a safe environment where youth can discover their strengths, learn essential life and trade skills, and experience stability, love, and belonging.
Our Story
Phase One: The Call to Easton
Founder Val Piacentini beautifully captures the beginnings of this journey in her first book, Foolish Things. The story begins with the “Call to Easton” on Christmas Day, 2007, and chronicles the earliest days of serving at-risk youth. Stories that range from deeply uplifting to profoundly heart-wrenching. This phase laid the foundation for what would become a lifelong calling to serve and uplift youth in crisis.
Phase Two: The Blue Mailbox – A New Chapter
The next phase, to be chronicled in Val’s forthcoming book The Blue Mailbox, begins in 2023 following the passing of Val’s mother, affectionately known as “Nana” to so many Easton children. This new season marks a turning point for Tricord Ministries and Camp 1315.
Today, we are blessed with a dedicated team of individuals who view their roles as a calling, not just a job. Together, we are preparing to launch our After-School and Summer Programs specifically for children in foster care.
These programs will build on our proven mentoring approach in Easton making learning fun while teaching:
-
Behavior and consequence (e.g., how choices impact one’s future)
-
Entrepreneurship and life skills (banking, saving, budgeting, investing)
-
Self-discovery and communication
-
Healthy relationships and emotional resilience
There will be an indoor recreation space, and each child will be nurtured as a valued individual. Through fun, structured mentorship, they will learn coping strategies, emotional regulation, and trust. Our goal is to see each youth grow in confidence, stability, and maturity. Learning to set and achieve meaningful goals while discovering their unique gifts and talents.
Phase Three: Building Futures
Looking to the future, Phase Three envisions owning a campground community that provides housing for foster youth aging out of the system. Retired tradespeople will volunteer to build cabins that serve as permanent, family-like homes.
Youth who express interest in the trades will be sponsored to attend trade school, with guaranteed secure housing while they learn and build independence.
As the vision grows, we anticipate multiple Camp 1315 locations, beginning with our first camps launching in 2026.