The nonprofit Fresh Air Fund has been providing free and enriching summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income neighborhoods since 1877. This summer, participating host families in rural, suburban and small town communities along the East Coast can share the beauty of their communities with a Fresh Air child while enjoying the pure joys of summer.

In the Fresh Air Fund Friendly Towns Program, families open their homes to children that might not otherwise be able to enjoy a summer away from New York City. They experience simple pleasures like running barefoot through the grass, swimming in a cool lake and gazing at star-filled skies; perhaps for the first time. Through the eyes of Fresh Air children, families may also rediscover the beauty of their own communities.

For more information, call Mary Beth Deutsch at 804-370-9932 or visit FreshAir.org.