Release: Brooklyn Youth to City Officials: Give Us Back Summer Camp!
For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 28th
Contact: Morgan Rubin, 646-517-1813, Campaign4ChildrenPress@gmail.com
Brooklyn Youth to City Officials: Give Us Back Summer Camp!
Rally To Save Summer Programs Cut In Executive Budget
10,000 Brooklyn Kids to Lose Access to Summer Camp–A Third of All Cuts Citywide
New York, NY— Council Member and Chair of the Youth Services Committee Mathieu Eugene, youth and teachers from impacted Brooklyn summer programs, and advocates from Campaign for Children took over Brooklyn Borough Hall on Thursday to call on the Administration and Council to restore funding for 31,000 summer program slots this year. The rally is Brooklyn’s response to the failure to include funding for the programs in this year’s executive budget.
The planned cuts would eliminate slots for 31,000 middle school students citywide,—10,000 in Brooklyn alone— despite the fact that these programs help to close the achievement gap, prevent summer learning loss, and keep children safe while parents work—especially for children in low-income communities. Since summer programs start just after the budget is adopted, it will be impossible to put engaging, high-quality summer programs back in place if funding for these programs is not re-committed soon.
“We must do everything we can to support our children, which is why I have proudly stood with parents and educators to call for funding summer enrichment programs,” said Public Advocate Letitia James. “I am disappointed that these vital educational programs – which help close the achievement gap and keep our children off the streets – were not included in the Executive Budget. As the budget process continues, we will continue fighting to ensure that our children have every opportunity they need to succeed.”
“Brooklyn families are running out of time to find a safe place for their children to go this summer,” said Gregory Brender of Campaign for Children. “10,000 is far too many slots to lose in a single borough. We urge the Administration and City Council to restore the necessary funds in the budget soon.”
ABOUT CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN:
The Campaign for Children is a coalition of 150 early childhood education and after-school advocacy and provider organizations, including Citizens’ Committee for Children, The Children’s Aid Society, United Neighborhood Houses NY, Good Shepherd Services, Neighborhood Family Services Coalition, the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, Children’s Defense Fund-NY, Day Care Council of New York, UJA-Federation of New York, and YMCA of Greater New York. The Campaign’s successful advocacy saved child care and after-school programs for more than 47,000 children by securing more than $120 million of one-year City Council discretionary funds for two consecutive years, which then were successfully baselined.
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