Host Families Are Needed

MONROE — The Fresh Air Fund is seeking more host families in the southern Connecticut area to open their homes to a New York City child for two weeks this summer.

Since 1877, the Fresh Air Fund has enabled 1.6 million disadvantaged young New Yorkers to experience summer in suburban and small town communities. Through the Fund’s Friendly Town program, volunteer host families in 13 states from Virginia to Maine and in Ontario, Canada, opened their homes to nearly 6,000 New York City children last summer.

Fresh Air host families can choose the gender and age of their visitor. First-time Fresh Air children are between the ages of six and 12. Many families find their hosting experiences so rewarding that over 65 percent of all children are re-invited to stay with host families year after year. Children can participate in the Friendly Town program through age 18.

For more information on how to share the simple joys of summer with a city child, contact Janet and Paul Haringa at 268-1259 in Monroe or the Fresh Air Fund at 800/367-0003, or visit the Fund online at http://www.freshair.org.