Projects - Toughest Kids

P.O. Box 1218 Hartwell, GA 30643

Toughest Kids

positive impacts in the lives of children in need

Toughest Kids Projects

Toughest Kids charitable mission is to provide life experiences for children with adverse circumstances, disabilities, and other ailments. Our Projects are focused on groups with specific needs. In addition, we have added Memorial Projects to serve this mission while also honoring the lives of TKI founders Kelli and Charly Schell. We are blessed to be able to help support a diverse array of individuals and groups with both directly donated funds as well as funds earned as a charitable fiduciary for both Special Needs Trusts and Minors Pooled Trusts. When serving as a charitable fiduciary our duties are three-fold; prudently monitor and delegate the investment of trust assets, to make discretionary distributions of trust assets to or for the benefit of the beneficiary, and to fill the basic administrative functions of administering the trust.

Charly and Kelli Schell Memorial Projects

Charles and Kelli Schell Endowed Scholarship

The North Georgia Military College, now known as the University of North Georgia, allowed Charly to challenge himself to new limits, and was where he and Kelli both spent time learning and becoming the people we knew and loved. Higher education and supporting others to achieve their goals seemed a perfect fit as we considered how to honor their memory. With this in mind, the Board started an Endowment Fund to provide an annual college scholarship in perpetuity at The University of North Georgia. The scholarship recipient must be a member of the Core of Cadets leadership program, and will be chosen by the UNG Foundation members each year. The first scholarship was awarded to a student for use in August 2023

The Archery Range at Camp Kamassa

Mississippi’s Toughest Kids and The Kitchens Family had a special place in Charly and Kelli’s hearts. Camp Kamassa, the Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation’s $28 million special needs camp, is the Gold standard of special needs camps. The Board of Toughest Kids chose to support the camp via the purchase of a Naming Opportunity in Charly and Kelli’s memory. We chose the Archery Range because it is where Charly used to spend time volunteering. There, their children, grandchildren and thousands of campers will see a plaque commemorating them and the donation made on their behalf.

Camp Corral Military Family Camp Contribution

Children of military parents know the meaning of sacrifice more than most. These children and families live to serve our country, and we are fortunate to be able to give something back. In Charly and Kelli’s memory, through the Camp Corral Foundation, TKI sponsored two 2023 summer camp scholarships for children of military families. The mission of Camp Corral is “to transform the lives of children of wounded, ill, and fallen military heroes by providing camp, advocacy, and enrichment programs.”

Other Toughest Kids Projects

Special Needs Trust Project

In 1993 as part of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act “OBRA 93’ “ congress gave charities the ability to help families preserve health insurance and other types of care through the use of a 42 USC 1396(p)d4(c) Pooled Special Needs Trust. TKI serves as a charitable fiduciary in this space for families that meet our acceptance criteria. Click here to learn more about TKI’s Pooled Trust Solutions.

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Minors Pooled Trust Project

Born out of the services provided to those that meet the criteria of CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) as being disabled and thus having access to a special needs pooled trust the Minors Pooled Trust Project is the answer for those deemed incompetent due to age or mental capacity that are not disabled in the eyes of CMS.

These trusts are alternatives to standard court accounts and enable TKI to manage assets for the trust benefactors while also actively receiving charitable donations that can be applied across all trust beneficiaries or if a donor prefers, targeted to an individual beneficiaries’ account.

Gold Star Family Trust

A Gold Star Family is the immediate family member(s) of a fallen service member.
This idea was originally developed in 2012 by Charles Schell and Wes Cosgriff. The GSFT offers charitable fiduciary services and the management and active pursuit of donations to those that have been affected by the loss of a parent or family member while serving our Nation. Click here to learn more about the Gold Star Family Trust.

The S.O.N. Project

Something Outta Nothing was established to raise awareness of veteran suicide and to help the children and families of those left behind. As a former ward of the state, Eagle Scout, Army Ranger Infantry Officer, and current attorney, Earl Porter III will be walking the Appalachian Trail between September 11, 2021 through February 22, 2022 to raise awareness and funding of the S.O.N. Veterans Support Trust. Donations will be distributed to specially selected TKI beneficiaries after completion of the mission.

The Preserve Sustainability Education Center

The Preserve Sustainability Education Center provides outdoor recreation and a hands-on display of the critical, earth-saving power of wind and solar energy for our Toughest Kids as part of a healthier, more stable future. The mission of the Sustainability Center is to bring children to the 120-acre property, host unique outdoor experiences, and teach the value of preserving nature and transitioning to the use of renewable energy resources now to help ensure a brighter, cleaner future for themselves and generations to follow.

Legos for Littles

Legos for Littles began with one simple mission – to put a smile on a kid’s face. Legos for Littles identifies kids facing a crisis, whether monetary or health-related and provides gifts of new or used Lego sets for their use and enjoyment. The organization was formed in November 2017 after founder Jim Snyder saw a teacher’s Facebook post requesting needed items for a class of less fortunate kids including clothes, toys and building blocks.

As a Lego lover, Jim knew sending Legos was an obvious choice. That sparked the thought, if one class, why not any kid? The charity gladly accepts monetary donations via the TKI website, and all funds go directly toward the purchase of Lego sets. Click here to learn more about Legos for Littles.

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Rockin’ with the Seals (RWS)

Team members Mike Zeigler Patrick Cocherl III use their connections, resources, and golf skills to help military Foundations and Charities coast to coast providing unique experiences with our Nation’s heroes from the Special Operations community. RWS offers live music, energetic MC hosting and unique on course entertainment and fundraising. RWS is focused on awareness of veteran issues, specifically the Gold Star Family and Veterans Support Trusts.

Gene Marable Project

Gene and Austin Marable lead this project with the passion to provide outdoor experiences such as hunting lessons, fishing trips, and even visits to the Marable farm in Alabama to give as many children as possible access to meaningful time spent in nature. Austin’s passion for hunting and sharing a love of the outdoors meets with Gene’s desire to leave a legacy of giving and support to those in need. This project extends TKI’s reach further throughout the southeast, giving greater opportunities to help our targeted communities.