Welcome A Child Into The Fresh Air

Fresh Air Fund chairperson Marie Athans of Newtown has an urgent message: “We need more families in the Newtown area” to welcome inner-city children to their homes for a weeklong stay this summer. With just nine families signed up to participate this year, she said people still have time to learn more about the nonprofit organization that makes vacations away from New York City a possibility.

“We need volunteers to host children and give them a summer vacation,” Ms Athans said. She would love to see as many children as “escape the hot and noisy New York City streets,” for at least one week this summer. She said, “Just having a yard, wildlife, green grass are things we have that they do not. And sounds of nature — they are not used to crickets at night.”

Ms Athans said, “They often will hear the sounds of rural life for the first time in Newtown.”

The process for approving a host family includes an approximately hourlong home visit, application, and background check. Families can ask for a child of a certain gender and age. Information is sent to New York and the children are matched to the families.

No special plans are needed for the child’s visit. “Just give children time away from the city,” Ms Athans said. There is always a need for homes for older children, there are always kids that don’t get out, she said. Boys ages 11–12 are the hardest to match. “We’re really interested in finding something for them.”

Various vacation dates are available in both July and August. Contact Marie Athans at 203-426-7137, or visit www.freshair.org for more information. Households from a single person to larger families are encouraged to find out more about becoming a host, Ms Athans said. There is no liability to the host family. Children arrive with health information.