Meow Meow Foundation Demands Change from State Agency

In the wake of another recent camp drowning, Meow Meow Foundation recently demanded that the California Department of Public Health promptly overhaul camp health and safety protocol.

Read the letter HERE.

To date, CDPH has failed to execute any meaningful protections for the millions of children and staffers at California camps. MMF received nearly 200 opposition letters from county health agency lobbyists, camp lobbyists and camps that vehemently opposed SB 217 (formerly SB 955, The Roxie Rules Act) which was the organization’s bill to afford comprehensive protections for children attending California camps. MMF recently withdrew this bill due to its displeasure with inappropriate demands by legislators.

County health agency lobbyists opposed these protections because they said that implementation and enforcement would burden them with additional work. Camp lobbyists and camps opposed the protections because they said the proposed legislation would not provide “meaningful oversight” and because camps have been “self-regulated under the guidance of the American Camp Association.”

MMF has said that, for decades, the American Camp Association severely failed millions of children with ineffective health and safety standards and protocols. The ACA lobbied Vice President Mike Pence to ensure camps opened this past summer during the pandemic. They engaged the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the same reasons. Their efforts paid off.

The CDC issued “guidance” to help camps reopen, the Trump administration pushed for the country to reopen and governors, including California Governor Newsom complied. Soon after camps received the green light, thousands of camp children, staffers and, by proximity, community members were immediately infected with COVID-19.

According to the MMF demand letter, the CDPH has perennially acted with reckless if not deadly disregard. California children, families and communities deserve far better from their representatives.