Free Summer Camp Opens in South Fallsburg for Local Rural & Migrant Youth

On a warm July day, the parking lot outside the former St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Route 42 in South Fallsburg – now the Spark Center – is sprinkled with chalk drawings, colorful bottles of bubbles, and soccer balls.

Inside, more than a dozen kids gather around a television watching a short film about the environment. It’s one of many activities at Rural & Migrant Ministry’s new youth summer camp, a free day program for Sullivan County youth ages 9 to 14 that ran from July 7 to 12.

Angela D’Auito, Rural & Migrant Ministry’s regional coordinator, said that families are facing growing fear and anxiety amidst President Trump’s growing immigration raids across the country.

“A portion of the children that are here are [from] migrant families, and particularly here in Sullivan County, a lot of migrant families are in poultry packing, duck farms, chicken farms,” said D’Auito. “With parents working long, long hours, children are not exposed to any summer fun and just to be able to be children, and so we’re really excited to offer this.”

Rural & Migrant Ministry is a nonprofit that supports rural and migrant farmworking families across New York State with resources and advocacy opportunities, with offices in South Fallsburg, Lyons, Cornwall-on-Hudson, and Long Island. The newly-launched South Fallsburg camp aims to give kids breathing room to enjoy their summer without having to worry about the risk of a potential immigration raid.

In April, a family of three children and their mother were detained on a Sackets Harbor dairy farm and later released after significant public pressure. The following month, three people were detained by ICE at a popular pizzeria in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

During the weeklong program, youth participants went swimming at Morningside Park, made rainbow bracelets, and tie-dye t-shirts. “We’re doing some painting tomorrow, just having fun outside, throwing the ball around. Just being kids.”

Wilmer Jimenez, Chief Program Officer of Rural & Migrant Ministry, says he’s excited to watch the program take off in Sullivan County so more families can access their services and ultimately reduce isolation.

Jimenez said, “ I think it’s also important for parents to come in and get to know other parents and also the resources available and the opportunities out there for themselves and their children.”

Image: Children make bracelets at the Rural & Migrant Ministry Summer Day Program in South Fallsburg, N.Y. (Photo Credit: Kimberly Izar)