offer them some fresh air

I am pretty crap about remembering people's names, but for some reason I've never forgotten Magda's.  I met Magda when I was a teenager and she came to live with us for two weeks.  Magda lived in Brooklyn, and we lived in the wilds of Pennsylvania and we met through an exchange program run by The Fresh Air Fund.  The program offers inner-city kids a mini summer break in the country, and offers host families the chance to make a difference, however small, in someone's life. 

Magda was unlike anyone else I had ever met - she was a city girl who spoke Spanish and could jump rope like a pro.  I, of course, could do neither.  She was also really sweet.  I imagine it must have been hard for her to leave her family for two weeks and live with some alien host family out in the sticks, but we did have fun.  

The Fresh Air Fund still needs to find 200 host families within the next ten days or else kids like Magda will miss out.  I'm writing this post in the hopes that someone will consider stepping up to help them out.  My parents did and I am really grateful to them for giving me the chance to meet Magda, and learn - finally - how to jump rope. 

*****

The Fresh Air Fund has provided free summer vacations to New York City children from disadvantaged communities since 1877. This is your summer to help!

• The end of July is growing closer and we still have 200 children who need to be placed with host families for this August.
• Unless all prospective host families are screened and vetted by the end of July these 200 children may miss out on an invaluable experience.
• Please host a child or help us get the word out that we need folks who can welcome a child from the city into their homes next month.
• We are looking for families who want to extend an invitation to a 9-12 year old. We really need more families who want older children and boys.
• Please email Angie, angie@freshair.org, immediately and she'll speed you through the process!
• Or, you can call us at 1-800-367-0003 (212.897.8900) -- ask for Angie