Photo courtesy of Fresh Air Fund.

Remember what summer in Bushwick is like? Sure, we may romanticize it now, toward the end of this miserable winter of my extreme discontent (as I recline on my sick-couch with strep throat), but by August the heavy 97-degree city air becomes the new oppressor and most of us feel the need to get out.

The Fresh Air Fund understands this, and how important it can be for the city’s neediest children to escape the sweltering heat of summer in the city. The Fund helps kids who would not otherwise have the opportunity to go on a trip get out to the countryside and experience small town and rural life. They have partnered with several Bushwick organizations, including Bushwick Impact, in an effort to serve more children in this area.

It’s not that Bushwick doesn’t have plenty of its own summer fun, with water play, ice cream and piraguas, pools, recreation areas at the park, sports, live outdoor concerts, interactive art installations, community play spaces and gardens, and even wildlife. But it’s no Adirondacks. And getting away shows us that the world is a much bigger place than our immediate family, friends, environment, and problems — and that can be important to recognize, especially for children.

I asked Jenny Morgenthau, the Fund’s Executive Director, to tell us the basics of what they offer families and children, and what they need and want in terms of recruiting local families and volunteers:

Where are you based, and how many states do you recruit nationwide to participate?

Our office is in Midtown Manhattan, and we work with 90 city agencies to help register the children every year. The Fund sends children to the homes of families living in 13 Northeastern states — from Virginia to Maine and into Canada — and our 5 Fund camps are located in Fishkill, NY, about 90 minutes north of the city.

Who is eligible to sign up for a Fresh Air Fund vacation?

Fresh Air children on first-time visits are ages 6-12 years old and can participate in the program through age 18. All of the children come from low-income families and must live in NYC.

What sort of volunteers do you regularly recruit?

Every summer, close to 5,000 host families voluntarily welcome a child into their heart and their home, and we are always looking for more families to give a child a memorable experience outside of the city. We are also recruiting counselors for our five sleep-away camps; our counselors are dedicated college-aged men and women, and are paid. Throughout the year, we have a number of volunteer opportunities (i.e. tutoring, events, calling nights) in the city.

Where can people read or learn about the experiences of past participants in one of the Fresh Air Fund programs?

Our website has testimonials from children, host families, camper, counselors and former Fresh Air participants.

How can a family register a child, or a volunteer find out more?

Please contact us at (800) 367-0003 or (212) 897-8900. Visit us online at Freshair.org.

You can also register your child in person at:

Bushwick Impact
Monday through Friday, 10am-5pm
69 Central Avenue
718-381-1035