To the Editor:

The Fresh Air Fund needs host families in the Albany area right now to make the dreams of New York City children become a reality.

Since 1877, more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities have benefited from free summer experiences in the country. Last year, over 4,000 boys and girls visited the homes of volunteer host families in rural, suburban, and small-town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.

Volunteer host families share their summers for up to two weeks with New York City children, ages 6 to 18, who leave behind the city streets to enjoy the simple pleasures of life in the country. There is still time this summer to volunteer to host a child.

There are thousands of moments that inner-city children remember about their Fresh Air Fund summers: grass on their bare feet, sitting around a campfire with new friends, swimming in a lake for the first time, the delicious aroma of a barbecue, the open space and twinkling stars.

For 137 years, The Fresh Air Fund has been giving city children this priceless gift — happy summer memories filled with life-changing moments. And doesn’t every child deserve that?

A volunteer host mom explains, “Our Fresh Air daughter is a dream. She’s part of our summers, and, when we make our plans, we always include her.”

Her Fresh Air child says, “Night at home is so bright, I never see stars. There are always cars honking, and I never get any peace and quiet.”

And it’s that simple to offer a New York City child a summer of fun.

Interviews may be arranged with volunteer host families…For more information, please visit freshair.org.

Jake Grinsted

The Fresh Air Fund