MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Summer camps for the YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South were originally supposed to begin this week but COVID-19 has delayed that.
According to the Shelby County Health Department, summer camps cannot reopen until the county moves into phase III of its reopening plan. Until then, the YMCA says it's moving forward on getting camps ready for when that day comes.
"We are waiting currently for the guidelines to come out for the summer camps and when they can operate and so as soon as we hear that we're going to be able to put together a plan and be able to announce that," Brian McLaughlin, YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South Chief Operating Officer, said.
McLaughlin said, currently the YMCA is increasing its partner network with local churches to expand camp and care locations across the metro area.
"We're looking strategically to make sure that we have care offered where one there's a demand for it and two so that it's spaced out enough that families have access to it all across Shelby County and even into our service area into DeSoto County," he said.
The YMCA has a fairly good idea of the guidelines the county will likely require in reopening and once that comes, McLaughlin believes the Y will be able to move quickly in getting them reopened.
"We're not taking field trips, we're not going swimming, even the group sizes to smaller group sizes. We're not playing on playgrounds," he says. "Those kind of things the traditional camp things that we did in the past that all have to be modified so that we have to keep the social distancing in place but kids can still have fun but just in a different way."
For now, the emergency childcare provided by the YMCA for free to essential workers is acting as the summer camp. The state recently expanded the jobs that fall under the essential worker criteria.
More than 700 families and growing have utilized the free care so far, according to McLaughlin.
