Five Reasons to Give to The Fresh Air Fund on #GivingTuesdayNow

At The Fresh Air Fund, every summer has a story and this #GivingTuesdayNow we are celebrating our Fresh Air children and their incredible stories.  

#GivingTuesdayNow is on May 5^th and on this special day of global unity, we’re sharing five special stories and five reasons a summer can last a lifetime. 

Foster Lifelong Friendships 

Fresh Air Alum, Brandon, now 27, first started attending The Fund’s Friendly Towns Program when he was eight years old and never forgot the four wonderful summers he spent with the Kaminoff family. “It was a whole new experience for me…it was so great. I learned how to swim and rock climb at the Kaminoff’s. I remember feeling so accomplished!” remembers Brandon. “My Fresh Air experience has changed not only my life, but my family’s life as well.”  

Read more – Friendly Towns Host Families Help Kids Say “I Do” to New Experiences 

Discover New Talents 

15-year-old Krizia from Queens first started attending Camp Mariah in 2015. “The first year I went to Camp and took a music class – that’s what got me into music,” Krizia says. “Camp is formative, fun and supportive. It was the first place I ever learned how to play the piano which made me want to take lessons at home. I started playing the saxophone. I listened to music before camp but was never really interested in playing myself until camp.” 

Inspire Young Leaders 

Twenty-year-old Amani Davidson is studying to become an adolescent psychologist – a person who talks professionally to kids, even though, 10 years ago, Amani herself was not a talkative kid. “The Fresh Air Fund encouraged me to speak up and say what I was thinking, even if my opinion was different than everyone else’s in the room,” Amani said. “You might spark something in someone else. The camp leaders really encourage you to have your own voice and be your own individual.”  

Read more – A New Leader: Amani Davidson Found Her Voice with The Fresh Air Fund  

Spark Lifetime Confidence 

Alexis De La Rosa has been part of The Fresh Air Fund for most of his life. His mom signed him up at  seven years old and that summer Alexis went to the Reed family and forged an unbreakable bond, 14 years strong. “Over the years I learned many important lessons. But above all, I learned the importance of my voice. I became more whole, and I began to develop my very own unique personality.” 

Unlock Limitless Potential 

Yasmin was just 6 years old when she boarded the bus that would take her to the home of her volunteer host family, the Cooks, in upstate NY. Now 31, Yasmin is still close with the Cook family and cherishes the countless memories they’ve made together. “My Fresh Air experience shaped the person I became and affected my adult life in so many positive ways. It made me more open to travel and new experiences,” Yasmin says. “I’ve visited the Cook family at the Grand Canyon. They opened me up to a new world and taught me to see life in a new way. My Fresh Air experience was a life-changing adventure.” 

When you give a child a Fresh Air experience, you open the door to a world of opportunities. There are so many reasons to give the gift of Fresh Air today, but they all revolve around one goal: unlocking the limitless potential of New York City children.