PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 21, 2022
Across Maine and the nation, summer camps have had to scramble to hire enough counselors to staff their programs and make room for as many campers as possible. Directors of day and overnight camps say hiring seasonal employees is harder than ever in a job market so competitive that nearly every type of employer is struggling to attract workers. An estimated 63,000 children go to summer camp in Maine each summer. Maine camps typically hire 13,000 summer staff, including more than 3,000 people who come to the United States on J1 visas to work. Maine summer camps contribute nearly $500 million to the state’s economy each year.