3Ps in a Pod » Blog Archive » All Kids Need Some Fresh Air

Home » Humanitarian, Parenting, Promotional, Promotions

All Kids Need Some Fresh Air

10 March 2009

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 2008, 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.

So why am I telling you about this? Well, the Fresh Air Fund needs hosts for the Summer of 2009. See, the Fresh Air Fund relies on donations and partnerships to raise the funds needed to give these children the vacation they deserve, kids that would otherwise not get the chance to get out of the city and see what the world has to offer.

Thanks to host families who open up their homes for a few weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air vacations and more than 65% of all children are reinvited to stay with their host family, year after year.

As far as Fresh Air Fund Host Families, there is no such thing as a “typical” host family. If you have room in your home – and your heart – to host a child, you could be one too.

Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 12 years old, who reside in low-income communities in New York City and are eager to experience the simple pleasures of life outside the city. As one child says, “I can’t wait to get on the bus every summer so I can see my family and go swimming and hiking!.”

Whether it’s a two-week trip to the country to visit a volunteer host family, or a fun-filled and educational stay at one of their camps, their programs make for unforgettable memories – and open a world of new friendships and fresh possibilities. They are a not-for-profit agency and depend on tax-deductible donations from people like you to keep their vital programs flourishing. You can donate online now and provide some fresh air for some great kids.

Share and Enjoy:

Tweet This: Send Page to Twitter

About Alyson the 3Ps Mama

Alyson is the Mama in Charge around these parts - owner, editor and chief ponytail wrangler. She enjoys a challenge that allows her to share part of her multi-faceted background and personality from working for Disney to traveling to China to reading Shakespeare to raising cattle. Her 3 amazing daughters and loving husband keep her on her toes as well. If she is not here, try looking for her 3PsinaPod on Twitter and Facebook.

5 Comments »

1 Spring Thank You to the Fresh Air Fund Bloggers « Chris Abraham’s Weblog said:

[...] All Kids Need Some Fresh Air via Three P’s in a Pod [...]

23 March 2009 at 1:50 pm

2 Spring Thank You to the Fresh Air Fund Bloggers « Fresh Air Fund Blog said:

[...] All Kids Need Some Fresh Air via Three P’s in a Pod [...]

23 March 2009 at 1:50 pm

3 Julie said:

When I was growing up in a small town in New York state,there were several families in our area who had a fresh air child.

15 August 2009 at 8:09 am

4 William Wilson said:

I grew up in Upstate New York in the 70’s. My family would get one or two fresh air kids a year and my brother, sister and I would look forward to it every summer. It was a great experience and the kids would love spending time in a farm like environment. I shared my experience with my oldest daughter Emily (Ten years old)and she was very interested. She would like to have a child come stay with us next summer. Do you guys have anything like this set up on the west coast yet? I would highly reccomend it to any family that is thinking about it.

25 October 2009 at 8:56 pm