The Fresh Air Fund - Another Child, Another Summer
February 21, 2010
It's that time of year. While some of us are knee-deep in snow, and others are grabbing the umbrella before they head out, we're all dreaming of spring and summer - for the warmth, the green grass, and the sunshine.
With summer, comes the need for Host Families at the Fresh Air Fund program. Last year, in 2009, the volunteer host program, Friendly Town, gave nearly 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences away from the concrete and noise of the city.
For a few weeks each summer, host families open up their home to these children, giving them a peek into a world they would not otherwise see or understand (except via television or the net, and that's a sad thing to even think, let alone admit - that some children never get to experience the true "fun" of summertime, just because of where or 'how' they live).
Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 18 years old, who live in New York City. Children on first-time visits are six to 12 years old and stay for either one or two weeks. Youngsters who are re-invited by the same family may continue with The Fund through age 18, and many enjoy longer summertime visits, year after year. A visit to the home of a warm and loving volunteer host family can make all the difference in the world to an inner-city child. All it takes to create lifelong memories is laughing in the sunshine and making new friends.
The majority of Fresh Air children are from low-income communities. These are often families without the resources to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.
I write about them every year because I hope some of my readers will be willing and able to participate. My sister, who lives in a very rural area, has hosted children numerous times, and she has always said those summers are the best ones ever. Memories of having these children visit, abound with joy, happiness, and that true sense of having done something rewarding. It's for sure, she got more out of having them in her home, than they got out of being there. At least, from her perspective. I suspect the children would turn that around and say they got the most out of it.
The Fresh Air Fund also has camps, for kids who can't make it to host family homes. So, even if you can't host a child, you can donate to this worthy cause and make sure it continues to support the least among us: the children. Hop over to the Fresh Air Fund Facebook page and get the full scoop. It's worth your time.
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