In 1963, Mount Gilead was born out of a need to provide a Christian camping facility to hold the American Sunday School Union’s (now American Missionary Fellowship) youth camping programs. Founded in 1937, the ASSU camping program known as Camp Allegiance, served 20 rural communities in a 10-county area of northern California.  By 1963, the facilities we were renting were no longer able to meet the rapidly growing youth camping ministry needs of ASSU.  Christian camping provided a ministry environment to teach God’s Word to boys, girls and young people with the purpose of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship and lots of fun.  The focus was to help develop Christian growth for those who lived in the 20 rural communities and attended the ASSU churches, Sunday schools and summer Vacation Bible Schools.  Camp fees accommodated the youth from these rural communities who could not otherwise afford to attend.  Thus, all of the leadership and workers were volunteers, and the majority of the food was donated.