Camp Barnabas Celebrates House Donation From Pro Baseball Player Cole Hamels

Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Hamels and his wife, Heidi, announced on Friday they were gifting their home in Missouri to the Barnabas Foundation, an organization providing summer camp experiences and independent-living opportunities for individuals with disabilities.  

The Foundation has not named the value of the property, although other news outlets have estimated its value at $9.7 million.

“This is the largest donation in the history of Barnabas,” Jason Brawner, CEO of the Barnabas Foundation, said in a press conference on Tuesday.

“Barnabas was founded on the idea that all individuals, regardless of ability, deserve a place to feel loved and accepted,” Krystal Simon, Chief Development Officer, said.

The Foundation owns two other properties where they offer traditional camp experiences adapted for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses and their siblings. Barnabas has no intention to utilize the new facility as a summer camp. Right now they are considering all possibilities as they relate to their mission. The home is currently zoned as a single-family residence. The Foundation will hold a community-wide meeting on Tuesday, January 3 to discuss any concerns or questions from neighbors.

Simon closed the press conference by saying they were given the “gift of possibility” for the people they work to serve, adding, “Lives will be forever impacted for generations to come.”

Images via the Barnabas Foundation