Mathieu Eugene, CAMBA March to Save Afterschool Program

CAMBA, the New York Youth Alliance and students of PS 139 in Ditmas Park Wednesday, May 9 to protest afterschool program . 

"You can count on my steadfast support," Councilman Mathieu Eugene told students, parents and other supporters who stopped in front of the Cortelyou Road branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, holding signs that read "Save CAMBA" and chanting, "What do we want? Afterschool! When do we want it? Now!" 

"I'm proud to be here to show you my support," Eugene continued. "I'm going to fight for you."

"I think CAMBA's great," third-grader Phoenix Polemarhakis told Ditmas Park Patch. He said that people from the program help him with his homework, which is very helpful to his mom who works in Manhattan.

"CAMBA makes me feel safe," said fourth-grader Michael Williams. "If there was no CAMBA, I don't know what I'd be doing or where I'd be."

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Sandra Israel, mother of second-grader Ameliyah Bastien also shared Williams' sentiments. "It's a security for me because I'm a single mom," she said. "I wouldn't be able to go to school to finish my sociology degree [if the program was cut]."

"I hope they don't close CAMBA," said Alyssa Cruz, a fifth-grader from PS 139. "This is my third year with CAMBA, and they always help me with homework and have different kinds of games like Jeopardy." 

The march was part of a city-wide "Lights off" day where all New York City afterschool programs are encouraged by Campaign for Children to participate and raise awareness of the issue.