The Fresh Air Fund

Every summer our local newspapers have photos of families picking up “Fresh Air Kids”.   It’s always bothered me that I’ve never seen any advertisement to participate, only a photo of a bus load of inner city kids staring wide eyed at some of the locals.

This year, it’s going to be different.  One of our local homeschool groups sent out an email asking for host families, and for once I was on the right email list (grins).  If everything goes according to plan, we’ll be picking up our own  wide eyed “Fresh Air Kid”.

The Fresh Air Fund is a not-for-profit agency that provides free summer in the country programs to children from low income communities in New York City.    Basically after your home visit and application is approved you request a child by age and gender, and the organization matches you up with a child.  The child then receives free transportation to your locality.  The child stays with you a a part of your family for a week or more, and then returns home to New York.

This is a wonderful ministry opportunity for the entire family. To get more information about how to host a child, click here.  If you live in New York City and you would like for your child to be a participant, click here.   If you love the idea, but just aren’t able to take on the responsibility of a child at this time, you can still held by donating funds to cover a child's travel expense.

The girls are very excited about this opportunity.  Although, Lindsey was a bit bummed to find out we don’t get to keep the child forever.  Tom and I are planning all kinds of fun things (fishing, weenie roasts, smores). 

Would you like to help change a child’s life?  Contact the Fresh Air Fund and find out how you can get involved.