Fresh Air Fund Seeks Host Families

NEW YORK — The Fresh Air Fund is seeking volunteer families in Connecticut to host an inner-city child for a two-week summer vacation.

 Since 1877, New York City children growing up in disadvantaged neighborhoods have experienced the joys of summer in suburban and small-town communities through the Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Town Program. By welcoming visitors into their homes during the summer, host families give Fresh Air children a break from the sometimes dangerous, hot, and crowded city streets. Families such as the Hinmans often invite their Fresh Air visitors back year after year.

Suzanne and Ed Hinman became involved with the Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Town Program after learning of friends’ heartwarming hosting experiences. In the summer of 1996, the Hinmans invited Robyn of Staten Island, N.Y., into their home for two weeks. Since then, she has been back every summer. During her stay with the Hinmans, Robyn enjoys simple summer pleasures that she cannot experience in the city – blueberry picking, hiking, and trips to the local pond. The Hinmans’ children consider her to be a good friend and look forward to her annual visit.

“Hosting Robyn has been a wonderful experience for my family,” Suzanne Hinman said. “We gain as much from her as she does from us. She is a part of our family.”

Thousands of New York children between the ages of six and 12 are eager to experience summer fun outside of the stifling city streets. Prospective Fresh Air host families are interviewed by Friendly Town Committee members who visit their homes and check their personal references. There are no financial requirements for hosting a child.

Families may select the gender and approximate age of their Fresh Air child. While there is no monetary compensation for hosting, the friendships that develop between hosts and Fresh Air children are priceless.

For more information on hosting a Fresh Air child, contact the Fresh Air Fund at 800/367-0003 or visit the fund’s Web site at www.freshair.org.