I was recently contacted by Sara Wilson from The Fresh Air Fund, and asked if I would be interested in posting about the organization on my blog. She acknowledged that it isn't something that really fits with the subject of my blog, but thought my readers may be interested in the subject. I agree that this isn't something that "fits" with my blog, but as a mother I couldn't not share this.
So what is The Fresh Air Fund, exactly? And why am I posting about it?
THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2010, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. 3,000 children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year.
The Fresh Air Fund is in need of host families for this summer. Host families are volunteers who open their hearts and homes to children from the city to give them a Fresh Air experience that can change lives. If you can become a host family, please do so. If you know someone who can, please share this with them. It would really help TFAF place these wonderful children into a loving host family. It's only for up to two weeks, but it's an experience that can change their lives forever.
- 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.
- 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.
If you live within this area, PLEASE consider hosting. If I weren't on the other side of the country, I would definitely do my best to host. But because I am, I'm passing this along with the hope that even just one of you East Coast readers will be able to host, or know of someone who will.
Can't host? Consider a donation. You can give a child the experience of a lifetime with your gift to The Fresh Air Fund!
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