Budget vs. Belonging: Seattle considers cutting summer camps for disabled youth
Cost-cutting measures could impact Seattle summer camps for disabled youth
Faced with a staggering budget deficit of a quarter-billion dollars, the city of Seattle is desperately trying to save money. But could a cost-cutting measure come at the price of canceling valuable summer camps for kids with disabilities?
SEATTLE - Faced with a staggering budget deficit of a quarter-billion dollars, the city of Seattle is desperately trying to save money. But could a cost-cutting measure come at the price of canceling valuable summer camps for kids with disabilities?
Mt. Baker neighborhood mom Krista Hanson reached out for help after Seattle Parks and Recreation informed her of a hiring freeze that would prevent them from hiring counselors for these specialized summer programs:
"Specialized Programs has received your registration paperwork for our youth summer camp. Currently, we are unable to confirm your registration due to a City of Seattle partial hiring freeze that could impact our summer staffing. We will be in contact with additional information on the status of our summer camps as we learn more about the ability to fill counselor positions."
"The city has a budget crisis that they need to resolve," Hanson said. "In the short term, they can't resolve that by cutting 20 camp counselors. They can't balance it on the backs of our disabled kids."
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Hanson's 14-year-old son, Lucas, has a rare disease called myotubular myopathy. He relies on a wheelchair and ventilator.
"These programs are more important than whatever they're putting the money to," Lucas said.
In a letter penned to city leaders, Hanson expressed her deep concern about the cuts, stressing the impact on community members who would be isolated all summer long.
"Disabled people are already so often left out, trying to create community and accessibility with little to no resources," Hanson wrote. "The options are so limited already. "It feels like such a gut punch to have this taken away."