Signs of Summer
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signs of summer #SignsOfSummer The Fresh Air Fund Annual Report 2014 signs of summer Everything we do is so much fun. #SignsOfSummer signs of summer My host family taught me how to swim, and now I love swimming. #SignsOfSummer signs of summer It is really quiet and beautiful in the country. #SignsOfSummer The Fresh Air Fund Signs of summer are everywhere… in our hearts and throughout the year. Since 1877, more than 1.8 million of New York City’s neediest children have benefitted from free summer experiences in the country through The Fresh Air Fund. The programs provide thousands of boys and girls with carefree, sunny days and beautiful starlit nights, along with year-round support for educational and career goals. The Fund’s tried-and-true programs grow, new initiatives are launched, and year-round activities are strengthened. In 2014, close to 9,000 children benefitted from the Fresh Air experience through visits to the homes of volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada, camp adventures in upstate New York, and educational programs supported by volunteer tutors and mentors. #SignsOfSummer Volunteer Host Family Program Laughter in the backyard and a lifetime of memories. Summertime is Fresh Air time! Year after year, thousands of Fresh Air children pack their bags, wave goodbye, leave behind the noisy city streets and head for the country. They look forward to swimming, riding bikes, walking in the woods, running barefoot, gazing at the stars and making A day at the beach, a picnic, green grass and trees, that’s all you need. #SignsOfSummer Volunteer Host Family Program new friends. And that list of favorite activities has remained the same for over a century. Signs of summer are found in the hearts and homes of close to 4,000 volunteer hosts who welcome their Fresh Air visitors with open arms. In 2014, The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family Program gave New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. The bond of friendship is so strong that 65% of the youngsters are invited back to stay with the same host families, every year. Hosts say their own families benefit as much from the program as the Fresh Air children. When leaves turn brilliant colors in autumn, snow falls in backyards and flowers begin to bloom, volunteers are planning for Fresh Air summers. The Volunteer Host Family Program is supervised through more than 300 local volunteer committees in regional areas, called Friendly Towns. Volunteers recruit, screen and interview new hosts and renew the commitment of participating families. In the summer, volunteer leaders are available 24 hours a day to support hosts and Fresh Air children. In New York City, children register at a network of more than 90 social service and community organizations. The Fund continues to expand its Immigrant Outreach Project by reaching out to all of New York City’s culturally diverse communities to allow as many children as possible to enjoy summers in the country. Please visit The Fund’s website at www.freshair.org. Our Fresh Air child spends most of her time in the water. Our Fresh Air daughter shows us what really matters and Her nickname is Little Fish. #SignsOfSummer how easy it is to make a child happy. #SignsOfSummer Camping Program Songs around campfires on a starry night in the wilderness. In 2014, The Fresh Air Fund had a highly successful camping season at its five camps in Fishkill, New York. Three thousand boys and girls participated in free recreational and educational activities for two weeks or more. Campers look forward to hiking on wilderness trails, swimming, Camp is so much fun. #SignsOfSummer Every friend I made at camp is like my own brother or sister. #SignsOfSummer Camping Program playing games on grassy fields, visiting the planetarium, picking vegetables from the camp garden and milking a cow at the Model Farm. The five camps are located on The Fund’s Sharpe Reservation, 2,300 acres of wilderness property with lakes, forests and marked trails. The Fresh Air camps are: Camp Anita Bliss Coler for girls, ages nine to 15; Camp Hayden-Marks Memorial for boys, ages nine to 12; Camp Tommy for 12- to 15-year-old boys; Camp Hidden Valley for boys and girls with and without special needs, ages eight to 12, and Camp Mariah for boys and girls in 7th to 9th grades, part of the Career Awareness Program. Camp Mariah is named after Board member Mariah Carey, and Camp Tommy is named after Tommy Hilfiger, for their very generous support. On weekends and school breaks, young people enjoy year-round camping. Fresh Air campers participate in hands-on, interactive nature studies at The Fund’s Sharpe Reservation Environmental Study Center. The wilderness property provides an outdoor classroom for informal learning and inspires an appreciation of nature. Camp facilities are also utilized throughout the year by a variety of organizations for weekend camping, day trips, conferences and retreats. My favorite things to do are swimming and enjoying The city has too many distractions. At camp, I can be myself. outdoor adventures. #SignsOfSummer #SignsOfSummer Camping Program Adolescents in The Fund’s Teen Leadership Program explore their futures, recognize their responsibility for educational and career planning, and overcome perceived limitations of ethnicity and socioeconomic status. New forms of self-expression are discovered through writing, music, dance, poetry and public speaking. Teen leaders also participate in weekend camping and community service projects. In 2014, close to 200 teens, ages 13 to 17, took part in communication and literacy-building activities. The Fund’s Precious Center for Teen Leadership at Camp ABC guides inner-city girls in developing leadership skills and focusing on their future goals. The Center is supported by a very generous grant from The Gary Magness Family Foundation. Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness were inspired by producing the film Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. The year-round Young Women’s Giving Circle teaches girls about philanthropy. The teens learn about America’s culturally diverse tradition of giving back to their communities through private contributions. In 2014, the girls presented donations to the Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries and AIDS Walk New York. I used to be really shy and not very outgoing, and the Teen Leadership Program I found out what it means to be a leader. helped me come out of my shell. #SignsOfSummer #SignsOfSummer Career Awareness Program Camp Mariah Opening up horizons of exploration and opportunities. The Fresh Air Fund’s Career Awareness Program expands educational and career options for adolescents. Boys and girls, 7th, 8th and 9th graders, participate in a three-year educational, recreational and camping program in New York City and at Camp Mariah. Camp Mariah made a big impact on my life by giving us a chance to change. #SignsOfSummer Career Awareness Program—Camp Mariah The Career Awareness Program includes: Camp Mariah, The Fund’s Career Awareness Camp, for three and a half weeks in the summer; weekend camping trips in the fall and spring; Career Fair in New York City in the spring; tutoring throughout the school year, and job shadowing visits to businesses in New York City. Through a structured curriculum, the Career Awareness Program is designed to improve literacy and critical-thinking abilities and enhance computer skills. Volunteer tutors, mentors, instructors, guest speakers and counselors guide Fresh Air students. During the summer, close to 300 boys and girls attend The Fund’s Camp Mariah, Career Awareness Camp. In addition to traditional camp activities, career campers explore a wide range of fields including science and technology, communications and health and fitness. The Career Awareness Camp is named in honor of Board member Mariah Carey for her generous support. The Fund’s Secondary Schools Connections assists 7th and 8th grade career awareness students in the high school selection process. Students are helped with research and applications to specialized public, private and parochial schools. College Connections helps 10th, 11th and 12th grade students with the resources and assistance needed to enter and complete college. The program includes selecting, enrolling, financially preparing for and facing the transition into a successful college career at the student’s school of choice. Volunteer mentors are assigned to students in the 10th grade, continuing with them through college graduation and moving forward on their career paths. I love Camp Mariah, because it opens up your point of view. College Connections is preparing me for my SATs, and I know more about #SignsOfSummer college than my peers because of the program. #SignsOfSummer New York City Volunteer Program Making a difference by sharing time together. New York City volunteers support thousands of Fresh Air children year round by giving countless hours of their time, energy and creativity. Nearly 150 volunteer tutors and mentors meet weekly with students in the Career Awareness Program. Other volunteers spend their evenings assembling Volunteering at camp has been an amazing experience. #SignsOfSummer New York City Volunteer Program registration materials or calling parents to discuss Fresh Air children’s visits with families or trips to camps. Corporate volunteer teams play a meaningful role in the lives of Fresh Air children. In New York City, volunteers host job shadowings, where students experience the world of work and learn more about their career options. Corporate teams take part in community events throughout the five boroughs to help register children for Fresh Air programs. At The Fund’s camps in Fishkill, New York, volunteers participate in clean-up projects and help out as “Counselors for a Day,” leading sports and arts and crafts projects.