Thousands of families in rural, suburban, and small town communities open their hearts and homes to New York City children from low-income communities through The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns Program each year.
Children ages 7 to 12 are eligible to sign up for this unforgettable experience. Children who are re-invited by host families may continue with The Fresh Air Fund through age 18 and can enjoy extended trips. The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided no-cost summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children since 1877.
There is no such thing as a typical host family, just the desire to share the simple joys of summer with a child from New York City. Fresh Air children enjoy new experiences like swimming in a cool lake, seeing the stars at night, and catching fireflies. Through the eyes of Fresh Air children, host families often share that they rediscover the beauty of their own communities, and say they receive more than they give through the experience.
“I recommend The Fresh Air Fund to everyone I meet. Being from New York myself, I wish I could have been part of this program – it’s priceless! We’ve done so much together. Last summer, the girls went to the beach and rode ponies, which were both firsts for Imani. We are counting down the days until she returns!” shared Suzanne Scarlett-Dieudonne, a Fresh Air host.
For more information on how you can get involved this summer, call 800-367-0003 or visit freshair.org.
Photo: Nine-year-old Fresh Air child Imani of Brooklyn and eight-year-old host sister Jadd, of Hampton Roads VA cooled off on a hot summer day with snow cones in the park. The best friends have spent the past two summers together going to the beach, reading at the library, and hosting movie nights!
Credit: Suzanne Scarlett-Dieudonne
