“It’s so great to see her be amazed by something outdoors, by something natural, which is really what the Fresh Air Fund is all about – to experience life outside the city for those two weeks,” says Deb Heath-Rogers, Fresh Air Fund volunteer host to thirteen-year-old Kloe.

The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Town program provides free summer vacations to children from disadvantaged communities in New York City. Every year, nearly 5,000 kids spend two weeks or more in rural or suburban towns spanning thirteen Northeastern states and Canada. Starting as early as age six, they are invited to revisit their host families each summer, through age 18.

“I feel a real connection with Kloe, especially since I’ve known her since she was a little girl and I’ve watched her grow into a young woman,” Deb says.

Career mothers like Allison Gable know that hosting a child can be just as daunting as it is rewarding. The key to making it work is flexibility. “I was a single working mom for a few years and you just get it done... I drop off the kids at camp every day so that I can do my job. That’s what we do - and the kids have a great time.”

Host families are drawn from supportive communities ensuring that volunteers never feel abandoned or alone. Many nearby businesses and organizations help with scholarships or even free tuition to local day camps, and often sponsor activities and festivals of their own.

Veterans of the program assure parents that any doubts or worries of bringing a new child into their care quickly vanish. “My first concern was my kids and whether they’d be able to share their space, but I soon realized that there is a lot more laughter than there are tears,” recalls Deb. “My advice is to have a sense of humor – and a short memory.”

As Deb has discovered, parents don’t need to plan big trips or elaborate activities - many urban children are thrilled to experience simple summertime pleasures, like swimming and camping in the backyard. “I’ve learned through listening to her that she’s really happy with the things that are simple but meaningful.”

To find out more information on how you can host a child, visit the Fresh Air Fund website or call 1-800-367-0003.

Other hosting or volunteering opportunities include:

• Camp Hope: Based in Des Moines, the non-profit program helps Russian children find adoptive families in towns throughout Iowa and across the country.
   
• Family Hope International: FHI brings Russian and Ukranian children to stay with a host family for 2-4 weeks.
   
• Children’s Aid Society: For those unable to host a child, volunteers can participate at one of the many CAS-sponsored programs across the Metro New York area.