Fresh Air Fund

Do you want your child to get out of the city for a couple of weeks? Look into the Fresh Air Fund.

The Fresh Air Fund has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. They are currently enrolling for the Fresh Air Fund camps.

The Fresh Air Fund provides two ways to enjoy the summer: a system of traditional camps held at their campground in Fishkills, NY, and the Friendly Town Program held all over America and Canada. We caught up with Elizabeth Springer, Program Assistant for CAMBA, and she explained to us the different Fresh Air Fund programs.

The Traditional Camp Experience
The Fresh Air Fund holds its traditional camp at the Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, New York. The campground is 2,300 acres of beautiful land with lakes, ponds, streams and hiking trails through the woods. In this bucolic setting, campers can will make new friends while exploring arts and crafts, sports, hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, dance, photography and games.

Campers are grouped into small families and stay in cabins on the campground. With their camp family, campers will be expected to keep their personal space tidy and also engage in communal chores like waiting on tables during mealtime.

There are four camps:

Camp Hidden Valley which is a co-ed camp for those with and without disabilities ages 8-12,
Camp ABC girls camp ages 9-12,
Camp Hayden-Marks for boys ages 9-12, and
Camp Tommy for boys ages 12-15.

Campers sign on for a 2-week stay at Fishkill. All expenses are taken care of and the program is first come, first served.

Friendly Town Program

The Friendly Town Program is a non-traditional camping experience. One goal of the Fresh Air Fund is to close the psychological gap between urban and rural families. Campers will stay in the home of host families in rural or suburban areas.

Before families volunteers are accepted by the Fresh Air Fund as Host Families, they are interviewed and trained by the Fresh Air Fund. Fresh Air Fund handles all screening and is extremely thorough. For example, each member in a host home who is 18 or older will undergo a background check. All homes are to provide references–and the Fresh Air Fund checks everyone. To top it off, experienced Fresh Air Fund staff members will make a home visit to each and every applicant home. This is all for safety.

Campers attending the Fresh Air Fund can expect to spend one to two weeks with their host family. The length of time depends on the child and the family.

Host Families will plan the activities that happen during the campers stay.

Host Families are located near and far, in the country or suburbs. in the following states: Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine or Canada.

How Do I Register?
The Fresh Air Fund runs on a first come, first served basis. As soon as slots are filled, registration will end.

Brooklyn residents can resister for any of the Fresh Air Fund camps at their partnering agency, CAMBA. Stop by the CAMBA office (855 Flatbush Ave Third Floor, Brooklyn NY 11226) between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Before you stop by their office, print off the application form and gather the required documents. Kaili Harper is the intake person and can be reached at718-282-5575 ext. 40355.

Give Back
Do you believe in the Fresh Air Fund ? Consider donating to the Fresh Air Fund and to CAMBA so they can continue providing opportunities to children.

Image via CAMBA.