NEW YORK—A program to help children from low-income families get out of the city and experience some fresh air launched its 135th year of operation this week.
Over 170 children, aged 6–18 left for the country from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan on Wednesday, headed to stay with host families in rural areas of upstate New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
In total, nearly a thousand children left the city at different locations for summer trips in 13 states.
The trips are organized by the Fresh Air Fund, an independent, nonprofit agency that runs traveling and camp programs for New York children from disadvantaged neighborhoods year round.
Almost 5,000 New York City children from low-income families are expected to benefit from the program this year.
“They go to the yard, go swimming, make new friends, see the stars at night that you can never see in New York City, and they just have a good time,” said Jenny Morgenthau, executive director of the Fresh Air Fund.
Morgenthau said that many children come back to visit or keep in touch with their host families for a long time.
Anqi Qiu, 8, son of new Chinese immigrants, is going to stay with a host family in Lamar Township in Pennsylvania. Qiu’s mother said that the host family has two kids and two dogs and plans go swimming and fishing with Qiu.
With additional reporting by Hannah Cai
Over 170 children, aged 6–18 left for the country from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan on Wednesday, headed to stay with host families in rural areas of upstate New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
In total, nearly a thousand children left the city at different locations for summer trips in 13 states.
The trips are organized by the Fresh Air Fund, an independent, nonprofit agency that runs traveling and camp programs for New York children from disadvantaged neighborhoods year round.
Almost 5,000 New York City children from low-income families are expected to benefit from the program this year.
“They go to the yard, go swimming, make new friends, see the stars at night that you can never see in New York City, and they just have a good time,” said Jenny Morgenthau, executive director of the Fresh Air Fund.
Morgenthau said that many children come back to visit or keep in touch with their host families for a long time.
Anqi Qiu, 8, son of new Chinese immigrants, is going to stay with a host family in Lamar Township in Pennsylvania. Qiu’s mother said that the host family has two kids and two dogs and plans go swimming and fishing with Qiu.
With additional reporting by Hannah Cai
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