The Fresh Air Fund Needs Host Families for This Summer

Are you looking for a rewarding family experience this summer? Have you heard of the Fresh Air Fund?  Does that name ring a bell?  Perhaps you remember the commercials that ran on television when we were kids…

The Fresh Air Fund is a non-profit organization which gives children from the inner city the opportunity to spend a week with a family outside their environment – in the suburbs, out in the country, on a farm, etc.

Chris McSweeney, of Madison, remembers hearing of the program years ago but not much else.  Last May, her sister came across some literature and the two had a conversation about getting involved. 

“Naturally I thought, with all the amenities the Shoreline has to offer, this would be a great destination for some of these kids.  We are truly blessed to live in this town, with such a special community of people. This would be a wonderful experience to provide these children – many who have never been outside NYC.”

Chris began to gather more information.  She found out that there is a one week program in June and a two week program in August available every summer.   The next step was to sit down with her 4 boys (ages 11-4) to discuss the plan.

“My husband and I thought it was necessary to speak with the kids about what we were going to do – the what, the why and the how…”  Chris says, adding “We wanted to ensure our kids were included, comfortable, and on board.”

“As much as we hoped to provide a new, life enriching experience to another child, we also realized this would be a great experience for our kids.   Living where we live along the shoreline, our children do not get much exposure to people with backgrounds different from our own," she added.  

Chris and her husband were pleasantly surprised with their kids’ reaction.  

“Of course they had many questions and a few concerns, but they were excited about it," she said.

The McSweeneys’ guest for the week was Christopher, a 9 year old boy from Harlem, and they fell in love fast. 

“We had set him up in his own room, with his own bed…and that lasted less than an hour.  Next thing we knew, we had the air mattress on the floor and all the boys had a slumber party.”

They had a great week going to the beach, playing in the neighborhood and fishing at the river. 

Chris feels it’s necessary to add,  “We learned that you don’t need to fill the days with extravagant day trips.  Many of these kids don’t have the luxury of running freely in a neighborhood, riding a bike on a quiet street, or spending a lazy day at the beach…just being part of your regular routine is enough.”

Chris says that the key to The Fresh Air Fund is that everybody benefits from the experience.

“I can honestly say that we gained just as much from the week with Christopher as he did coming to Madison.  Our kids learned so much and now consider Christopher a great friend.  They can’t wait until he comes again this summer.”

Last year there were only four host families within our area (Essex – Branford).   There are over 9,000 kids looking to be placed.   

Chris points out that while these boys and girls come from many different backgrounds and family situations, there is one thing in common.  As they found with Christopher, he has a loving parent that wants the best for her son, so much so that she would send him off to a family she’s never met just for the experience.

Chris credits low host numbers to lack of advertising and word of mouth.  She is hoping to increase participation this coming summer. 

“We have so many great families in Madison and along the Shoreline that I am confident we can develop a solid program here for years to come”.

The registration is a fairly simple process and children can be matched based on the age/gender that works best for the host family. Anyone interested in becoming a host family or wanting to learn more about the program can reach out to Chris McSweeney via phone (203)318-1567 or email chrismcsweeney@aol.com.  You can also learn more by visiting www.freshair.org.

Information for this article submitted by Chris McSweeney.