A family from Holmdel is looking forward to spending another summer with their “Fresh Air” companion from the big city.
The Fresh Air Fund seeks host families interested in giving inner-city children the summer of a lifetime. The nonprofit organization recruits families living outside of New York City to give children who reside in low-income communities a free summer stay in one of the “friendly towns” on the East Coast and southern Canada.
Holmdel residents Mary Messihi and her husband, Fred, have served as the hosts to the same child – Alyssa from Brooklyn – since she was 7 years old. This will be the couple’s ninth year as the host to their summer companion.
Mary Messihi said Alyssa is now a brilliant 16-year-old.
The children who participate in the annual program typically live in areas inundated with atmospheric pollutants that negatively affect air quality, according to organization officials.
According to a study from Columbia University, air pollution poses serious health risks for city dwellers. Risks include heart disease, lung cancer and asthma. Recently, New York City estimated there are 2,700 premature deaths per year that could be attributed to fine particulate matter and ozone in the air.
The Fresh Air Fund, established in 1877, pairs children between the ages of 7 and 18 with families eager to give children the opportunity to enjoy the summer months in fresh air environments, according to the organization.
Messihi said she used to explore Manhattan with her father, who often encouraged her to interact with the children she met in the city. It was those moments from childhood that encouraged her and her family to pursue that interaction she said was undoubtedly fulfilling.
“I used to marvel at the playgrounds teeming with children, and my Dad would always let me stop and play in the crowds when I asked. When we were ready to start our family, Fred and I moved from Manhattan back to New Jersey and, as soon as we had the room, we started hosting. We wanted to give our children the same gift of perspective our parents provided us growing up and why not spread the joy?” she said.
Messihi said Alyssa brings nothing but joy to their household. The mother of two said her children enjoy the experience just as much as she does.
“I like when Alyssa finally gets comfortable after being back a while and spouts her first, “whatever Fred” to my husband,” she said. “It gives us all a good chuckle.”
Alix Samuel, the Fresh Air Fund’s communications coordinator, said families who are interested in hosting a child will be responsible for that individual for one to two weeks during the summer.
Samuel said families in the Monmouth County area can be the host to children from either July 16-23, or from July 27 to Aug. 6. Families also may qualify for a tax deduction if they claim hosting services toward individual living expenses, she said.
Local businesses often offer free or discounted services to Fresh Air children, Samuel said.
Transportation to and from Friendly Towns is provided by the organization. The Fresh Air Fund covers liability insurance for hosts and committee volunteers, as well as any medical expenses for uninsured children, according to the organization’s website.
Families interested in hosting are needed throughout the state. Those considering opening their home to a child can visit, http://www.freshair.org/ask-about-hosting.
“The Fresh Air Fund is a gift all-around. From the people who work there, to the hosts and, of course, the children. Not even the host family dogs can resist coming to meet the bus and bidding farewell,” Messihi said.
