The Fresh Air Fund

The Fresh Air Fund

I recently became Facebook friends with the grown-up who used to spend a week or two with my husband, me, and our kids in the summers before he became a teenager. We haven’t seen him since then but the affectionate connection still exists. He has a son of his own now and travels back and forth to the South, where his family lives, and NYC where he pursues a career as a rap artist.

Not being particularly savvy at the computer and not having a smart phone, I don’t quite understand how to go on the sites where his music can be found, so haven’t heard it. There is also some way to vote for his album in some kind of contest. I think this paragraph shows my ignorance. Nevertheless, it’s really nice to be able to at least personally offer my support.

The Organization

I don’t know if there are similar organizations in other cities around the country, but the one in NY has been around for decades and brings together many children from the city with families in rural areas to give them experiences of nature and the slower pace of living they might not have the opportunity to explore in the city.

They interview prospective host families, check the home, and give advice on helping kids to adjust to a new environment. Bugs and wildlife not found in the city can be frightening to a child not used to them and of course being away from home, especially the first time, can cause anxiety. Different needs are addressed, such as skin and hair care, the ability or inability to swim or ride a bike, etc.

The kids come in on buses to a designated pickup area and are returned the same way. Contact people are always available if some problem crops up. Host families are required to contact the child’s family to assure them of his or her safe arrival, with maybe other calls once a week or so depending on the child’s needs, though the hope is that he or she will bond with their host family.

One of my kids was a preschooler, the other not yet born when we first became a host family. We have wonderful memories of those years. I recommend the experience.