New York City youths arrive in Bryn Mawr for some ‘Fresh Air’

Fresh Air Fund places inner-city kids with host families in Delaware Valley for week-long program

Thirty-seven New York City children, ages 6 to 18, arrived Monday as part of the Fresh Air Fund to spend a week with volunteer host families from across the Delaware Valley. The children, who must have good grades and no discipline problems, leave behind hot city streets for swimming, playing and running in the grass. Some children are leaving home for the first time, while others are returning to visit the same host families for consecutive summers.

“We’re family.” That thought by Heather Riley of Malvern describes the bond that can develop between the families and the New York children they welcome into their homes.

Riley has literally watched R’kel grow up. This is the 12th year the Rileys have hosted R’kel, who arrived with basketball in hand ready for a game with Liam Riley, who also turns 18 this year. “He’s such a sweetie,” said Heather Riley. “Every year he brings flowers.”

The Fresh Air Fund is an independent, not-for-profit agency that has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Each summer, over 4,000 children visit volunteer host families in rural, suburban and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada through The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family Program.

“Having fun in the summer with a little girl who doesn’t have a backyard and grass, all the things the suburbs have is our opportunity to give back” said Marissa Brunetti of Media who, along with her daughters Elliana, 6, Ceclia, 10, and Isabella, 12, welcomed Nehaeh to their home for the fourth year. ”It’s our attempt to give back for what we have.”

Maura Wheeler of Radnor, a Fresh Air volunteer organizer for 12 years, said they are always looking for host families, especially those willing to welcome children in the middle school years for which there are many children applying. A second group of children will be coming in August.

The week-long experience in-

PETE BANNAN – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Liam Riley of Malvern welcomes R’Kel after he arrived on the bus from New York as part of the Fresh Air Fund, which offers city children the chance to spend a week in more green, suburban and rural settings. This is the 12th year the Rileys have hosted...

Megan and Brian McNeill of Tredyffrin and their sons Davis, 7, and Devon, 11 (not shown), welcome Ben, 13, after he arrived on a bus from New York as part of the Fresh Air Fund, which offers city children the chance to spend a week in a more green,...

PETE BANNAN – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Heather Riley of Malvern give R’kel, 18, a big hug after he arrived on the bus from New York as part of the Fresh Air Fund, which offers city children the chance to spend a week in a more green, suburban and rural...