What would you do to give an inner city child the chance to breath and play in Fresh Air? Fear not, you don't have to start your own camp or buy a forest to help, just join forces with the wonderful folks of The Fresh Air Fund!
Would you like to run this year's New York City Half-Marathon on August 16th while also helping Fresh Air Fund children? Join the Fresh Air Fund-Racers team today! If you would like to register, please visithttp://freshair.kintera.org or just click here! If you have additional questions or are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Kate at runners@freshair.org or call (800) 367-0003 ext. 8890.
Last summer's NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE was a huge success for The Fresh Air Fund, and they couldn't have done it without all of the Fund-Racers! Thank you to the dedicated runners who participated through the Fresh Air Fund team and to everyone who came out to support them! Fresh Air raised more than $125,000 which will go directly to the free programs for NYC children.
The Sharpe Camp
Want to know more?
Read on!
FACTS ABOUT THE FRESH AIR FUND
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.
FRESH AIR CHILDREN
Children are selected to participate in The Fresh Air Fund Friendly Town program based on financial
need. Children are from low-income communities. Fresh Air youngsters are registered by more than 90
social service and community organizations in all five boroughs of New York City.
FRESH AIR FUND FRIENDLY TOWN PROGRAM
Fresh Air children, boys and girls from six to 18 years old, visit 300 Fresh Air Friendly Towns in the
summer. Fresh Air children on first-time visits to Friendly Town host families are six to 12 years old and
stay for up to two weeks. The program also has a special one-week option for New York City families
who would like to host children on their summer vacations in the country. Over 65 percent of all children
are reinvited to stay with host families, year after year. Reinvited youngsters may continue with The Fund
through age 18, and many spend the entire summer in the country. Fresh Air children and volunteer
families often form bonds of friendship that last a lifetime.
FRIENDLY TOWN HOST FAMILIES
Fresh Air Fund volunteer host families open their homes to inner-city children for two weeks or more in
the summertime. Each Friendly Town community is supervised by a committee of volunteers. Committee
members select host families after reviewing their applications, visiting them in their homes and checking
their personal references.
There are no financial requirements for hosting a Fresh Air child. Most hosts simply want to share their
homes with inner-city youngsters. Host families are not paid. The Fund has a program for placing
children who have special physical or emotional needs.
FRESH AIR FUND CAMPING PROGRAM
3,000 New York City youngsters, ages eight to 15, attend five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in
Fishkill, New York. Camp Hidden Valley is for boys and girls with and without special needs, eight to 12
years old; Camp Tommy is for 12- to 15-year-old boys; Camp Anita Bliss Coler is for girls, nine to 12-
years old; Camp Hayden-Marks Memorial is for nine- to 12-year-old boys, and Camp Mariah is a coed
camp for 12- to 14- year-old career campers. Additionally, 2,000 young people participate in year-round
weekend camping experiences. Special features shared by all camps include a planetarium, model farm,
wilderness trail and ropes course. Camp Tommy is named in honor of Board member/designer Tommy
Hilfiger for his dedication and support of Fresh Air children.
CAREER AWARENESS PROGRAM
The Fresh Air Fund’s innovative Career Awareness Program is designed to help New York City
youngsters understand the relationship between school and work and how to make choices that will
determine their futures. In New York City, 12- to 14-year-olds participate in job shadowings that offer
close-up views of business and a career fair. The year-round program includes weekend camping trips and
an intensive three-and-a-half week summer session at the Career Awareness Camp – Camp Mariah. The
career camp is named in honor of Board member/singer Mariah Carey for her dedication, support and
commitment to Fresh Air youngsters. Career awareness graduates continue to receive support through the
PreOccupations Club and benefit from the guidance of volunteer mentors.
FRESH AIR FUND HISTORY
In 1877, the Reverend Willard Parsons, minister of a small rural parish in Sherman, Pennsylvania, asked
members of his congregation to provide country vacations as volunteer host families for children from
New York City tenements. This was the beginning of The Fresh Air Fund tradition. By 1884, Reverend
Parsons was writing about The Fund for New York’s Herald Tribune, and the number of children served
grew. In 2007, close to 10,000 New York City children experienced the joys of summertime in Friendly
Towns and at five Fund camps in upstate New York.
FRESH AIR FUND CONTRIBUTIONS
The Fresh Air Fund is a not-for-profit agency, depending primarily on support from private contributions.
It costs The Fresh Air Fund $986.00 for a visit with a volunteer host family and $1,542.00 to send a child
to Fresh Air camp. Over 75% of The Fund’s contributions come from individual donors. Tax-deductible
contributions may be sent to The Fresh Air Fund, 633 Third Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10017.
Families who wish to be hosts may call The Fund at (800) 367-0003.
NEW YORK CITY VOLUNTEERS
The Fresh Air Fund has an active group of New York City volunteers. Metropolitan area volunteers help
The Fund reach out to New York City parents and children, support Camping, Career Awareness and
Friendly Town programs and seek in-kind donations. To volunteer, call (212) 897-8900 or visit
www.freshair.org.
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE FUND
Jenny Morgenthau, Executive Director
(212) 897-8898
PUBLICITY CONTACTS
Kate Brinkerhoff, Public Relations Director
(212) 897-8890
Andrea Kotuk, Andrea & Associates
(212) 353-9585
Posts
