About Joe White
As the president of Kanakuk Kamps and founder of Kids Across America, Joe White is committed to sharing the love of Christ with children and families across the nation through fun, faith and family. Joe leads Kanakuk Kamps—consisting of five overnight camps, a family camp and a traveling day camp—with the help of wife Debbie-Jo, who serves as the camp’s vice president. Each summer, Kanakuk’s family of Christian athletic camps hosts an estimated 24,000 Kampers from around the world. Joe’s passion for equipping next-generation leaders has culminated in 43 years of service as the president of Kanakuk Kamps.
In addition to his work with Kanakuk, Joe has founded several programs designed to encourage and cultivate fellowship for individuals in all walks of life. In 1978, Joe dedicated the last week of Kanakuk to sharing the camp experience with urban youth. Shortly after, Joe founded the I’m Third Foundation with a vision to empower urban youth to impact their communities for Christ. In 1991, Joe opened Kids Across America, which has since grown to include four camps dedicated to serving and transforming urban youth.
Joe White’s career is built off of one thing: following the heart of Jesus.
Additional programs designed to provide discipleship and encouragement include AfterDARK, Heart of a Mom, Pure Excitement, Men at the Cross, Kanakuk Haiti and I’m Third Discipleship.
These programs serve everyone from teens and college students, to men and mothers. AfterDARK brings an unforgettable night of worship and discipleship to college campuses; Heart of a Mom is a free online resource to encourage and connect mothers of all ages as they pursue the most important role in their life; Pure Excitement is a high-energy event that challenges teens to make Godly choices when navigating love and dating; Men at the Cross is a discipleship movement of radically committed men serving Christ, family, church and the workplace; Kanakuk Haiti provides more than 4,200 students and 172 teachers in 17 schools and an orphanage in Haiti with education, daily nutrition and a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ; lastly, I’m Third Discipleship is a counselor/camper discipleship experience that begins during a summer term at Kanakuk and continues weekly throughout the school year in the form of hour-long conference calls between counselors and Kanakuk Kampers.
Joe has written more than 20books about leadership, faith training and navigating the struggles of everyday life. His work includes resources for choosing real friends, fostering healthy self-esteem, developing leadership skills, mentoring teenagers, understanding God’s grace, navigating love and more. In 1997, his book Pure Excitement won the Gold Medallion Teen Book of the Year.
According to Dr. James Dobson, “Joe White knows more about teenagers than anyone in North America.” A national speaker for men’s, women’s and students’ conferences, sports teams and on Christian radio, Joe has spoken for AfterDARK College Crusades across the nation, Men at the Cross events, Promise Keepers events, Family Talk Radio, Pure Excitement youth events, Kanakuk Institute, Kanakuk Link Year and NFL football and professional baseball chapels. Joe has been awarded two honorary doctoral degrees and was recognized as one of the “Top Ten Influencers of the Century” by New Man Magazine.
Prior to joining the Kanakuk family, Joe played nose tackle for the Southern Methodist University Mustangs for two years and coached the defensive line at Texas A&M. More than 40 years later, sports continue to influence the activities and teachings at Kanakuk.
Joe and Debbie-Jo have been happily married for nearly 50 years and have been blessed with four children and 15 grandchildren. They currently reside in Branson, Missouri, where they continue to preside over Kanakuk Kamps. Joe frequently speaks at Kanakuk Link Year and Kanakuk Institute in addition to national speaking engagements. He continues to create new content for audiences via his YouTube channel and Fuel Up daily devotional series.