Nearly a month after Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein called for summer camps to be allowed to open this year, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that day camps will be allowed to operate this summer, albeit under strict safety guidelines. After weeks of Assemblyman Eichenstein leading the negotiations with the senior staff of Governor Andrew Cuomo, this is wonderful news for all New Yorkers, and especially for families with children who are yearning to enjoy a real summer camp experience with their peers.

“I’m delighted that Governor Cuomo recognizes the tremendous significance of this decision for so many New Yorkers,” said Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, “Summer camp provides an outlet for children and much needed break for their parents. Our young people have experienced both the trauma and the boredom of all these weeks of lockdown. They deserve to enjoy a safe summer filled with fun.”

After being the first public official to call for day camps and sleepaway camps to open, Assemblyman Eichenstein spent many weeks in consultation with Governor Cuomo's staff and the NYS Health Department regarding the proper protocols for the upcoming camp season. A comprehensive outline of strict guidelines and regulations was proposed by a team of medical professionals and camp directors that all camps will be obligated to comply. This camp season will certainly be somewhat different than usual but it will also be a wonderful experience for many youth in our state who crave a semblance of structure and educational and social interaction, while enjoying the summer months.

Assemblyman Eichenstein continued, “I would like to thank the Governor Cuomo for making this happen. I appreciate the Governor’s willingness to work with us to come up with a commonsense functional solution. This decision illustrates that when we all work together for the common good, we can develop innovative and practical solutions to the many challenges that we face during this crisis. As we continue to work on the specific guidance, this is wonderful news and I look forward to continuing to work with the Governor's staff to address the possibilities of opening sleepaway camps as well."