2021 FAF Annual Report R5

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

2021

ANNUAL REPORT

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

90%

of youth said The Fresh Air Fund helped them feel more active and healthy

200+

18-24 year-olds were counselors.

Over 50 were Fresh Air alums!

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For 145 years, The Fresh Air Fund has shown that a summer can change a child’s life.

In 2021, our creativity and commitment to New York City children made it possible for them to safely have fun, learn in the outdoors and rediscover the extraordinary feeling of being a kid in the summertime.

83%

of youth reported wanting to take better care of the environment

330

frisbees were given out at Family Wellness

86%

of caregivers said their child is more open to trying new things

1,163

s’mores were enjoyed at Family Wellness

85%

of youth reported feeling more confident

1,340

books were given to Fresh Air kids 3

ABOUT FRESH AIR

Since its founding in 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit youth development organization, has provided free life-changing summer experiences in the outdoors to more than 1.8 million children from New York City’s underserved communities.

Chairman’s Message In 2021, as we planned for our second summer of the pandemic, we knew it was essential that New York City children had the opportunity to learn, play and grow.

Although our traditional sleepaway programs were on hold, we found ways to support the bond between host families and Fresh Air children with our Friendly Towns Connect program. Children were able to visit camp with their families for a muchneeded respite from the city in our Family Wellness program, and our Summer Spaces program provided a safe environment in children’s neighborhoods for them to play outdoors and to experience enriching programs which inspired and engaged them.

Our young people participated in the expanded Fresh Air Summer Teen Academy with credentialing courses in environmental education, entrepreneurship, video game design and architecture and urban design. The virtual presentation I attended by the teens and instructors from the Design Studio program in partnership with PennPraxis at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design was very impressive. The students and instructors shared how engaging the hands-on projects on Governors Island were, along with an intensive virtual curriculum.

In 2022, we are continuing the best of our new programs created during the pandemic, while also welcoming children back to Friendly Towns and Fund camps on a limited basis, with critical safety protocols in place.

We offer our special thanks to Wendy Flanagan, Interim Executive Director and Board President, for her steadfast leadership and for stepping in during our search for a new Chief Executive Officer.

Thanks to all of you, our circle of friends, volunteers, supporters and community partners, for providing New York City children with life-changing and transformative experiences. Together we will help our children imagine the possibilities.

Sincerely,

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William P. Lauder, Chairman

Young people also participate in year-round leadership, career exploration and educational programs. At sleepaway camps in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, visiting volunteer host families along the East Coast and in NYC-based programs, children have new experiences, learn new skills and gain new perspectives.

We believe that investing in a child’s journey through life provides an opportunity for young people to learn, grow and thrive in our city and beyond. The magic of a Fresh Air summer, full of new experiences and new friends, is simple yet transformative.

Executive Director’s Report For yet another year, the historic pandemic disrupted the lives of New York City’s children. For yet another summer, The Fresh Air Fund knew that children needed a safe place to play outside in the fresh air. They needed new experiences and new friends, and they needed to embrace some of the magic of summer.

Armed with the experience we gained in Summer 2020, we continued to reimagine summer at The Fresh Air Fund. We built upon and expanded our inperson Summer Spaces and teen programs, and for those children who could not participate in person, we brought the outside inside with our virtual day camp and new Friendly Towns Connect program.

Now, we are looking forward to Summer 2022 and a return to our traditional overnight programs: camp at Sharpe Reservation and Camp Junior and visits with host families, while keeping the best of our New York City-based programs.

Children have suffered the most in these last two years, and the need for opportunities to get outside and have new experiences has never been greater.

As an organization, we have continued to engage in understanding the actions we need to take to become an anti-racist organization. With equity as a guiding principle at the core of our work across the organization, we will continue to uplift and invest in the lives of our young people and ensure they have access to enriching summer experiences and youth development programs.

Our work would not be possible without our generous supporters and partners.

Thank you for continuing to stand by New York City’s children with us.

Sincerely,

Wendy R. Flanagan, Interim Executive Director 5

WHERE we showed off our hula-hooping skills

Summer Spaces Summer Spaces provided fun, free and safe play spaces for NYC children, ages 5-12, at 11 program sites in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. Children participated in arts & crafts projects, STEM activities and music workshops, played soccer, had hulahoop contests, raced through obstacle courses and more!

In summer 2021, program sessions were extended and there was an increased focus on STEM, art and literacy, which was supported through incredible partnerships including with the American Ballet Theatre, The ASCAP Foundation, BioBus and the Brooklyn and Queens Libraries.

Supporting The Fund’s strong commitment to investing in job training and employment opportunities for young people, we hired over 100 18–24 year-olds who served as counselors, coaches and mentors.

“I tell all my friends to join Summer Spaces because it’s super fun. We do activities, play games, and if you want to do arts and crafts, we can do that here!”

- Marilyn, 7

95%

of children said the program helped them get better at meeting people and making friends 6

92%

of children said their time at Summer Spaces helped them feel more active and healthy

WHERE my whole family felt the magic of Fresh Air

Family Wellness This past summer at The Fund’s camps in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, Fresh Air Family Wellness expanded to overnight trips, providing more time for Fresh Air children and families to spend together enjoying the outdoors, exploring nature, trying new activities and relaxing as a family.

Families visited The Fund’s Sharpe Reservation and The Fund’s Camp Junior in Harriman State Park. Activities included boating, swimming, hiking, archery, fishing, visiting the Model Farm and making s’mores.

“Being able to go back and experience with my family somewhere I spent so many of my summers and built so many special memories was so grounding. It was truly an amazing experience.”

- Serene Stevens

Surrounded by beautiful nature trails, lakes and fresh air, families were able to focus on connecting with each other and appreciate time in the outdoors. Many of our campers shared how meaningful it was to visit camp with their families and share the place where they had so many new experiences. Together families made new memories that will last a lifetime.

99%

of families said they felt more connected as a family after their Family Wellness trip

100%

of families said that after their Family Wellness trip they felt more connected to nature 7

WHERE I learned skills that will last a lifetime

Summer Teen Academy The Summer Teen Academy, launched in 2021, built on and expanded the teen programs we created in 2020. Close to 600 teens were provided opportunities to explore future careers, earn credentials, gain job training and professional development experience, and connect with a support system of peers and counselors. All programs offered stipends ranging from $500 – $1,000 depending on the time commitment required.

Credentialing programs focused on Urban Design, Coding/Game Design, Entrepreneurship and Environmental Justice, and were created in partnership with PennPraxis at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design, Urban Arts Partnership, Youthful Savings and NOLS.

595

youth participated in the Teen Academy

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Through a project-based curriculum, students gained basic industry-level skills, exposure to new career paths and a certificate of completion for their resumes and portfolios.

The virtual Job-Readiness Training Program for 13–15 year-olds focused on career exploration and building leadership skills. The Youth Internship Program had virtual, hybrid and in-person internship opportunities. Participants attended weekly professional development workshops and gained hands-on experience at their assigned work sites.

Youth Enrichment Programs Teens across all of our programs participated in our Youth Enrichment Programs, which created safe spaces for teens to connect with peers and mentors.

The Girls Empowerment Program included a Friday night virtual series, which created a community space for young women to support their peers and learn from special guest speakers who shared their professional and personal journeys.

Our newly launched Circle of Brotherhood Program provided young men with a safe and supportive space to share thoughts and discuss issues related to healthy manhood.

86%

of youth feel more confident after participating in the Teen Academy

$360K funds distributed to support stipends

“The guest speakers were my favorite part. I learned about starting my own business and to be more independent.

When I’m in college, I’ll be more prepared.”

- Ralph, 15, Entrepreneurship Credentialing Program

84%

of teens got better at working as a team 9

WHERE I explored nature from my apartment

Virtual Programs Through our virtual camp, Fresh Air Everywhere, children, ages 7- 12, participated in nine-day sessions which included supervised, interactive activities that encouraged creativity and exploration. The curriculum focused on learning about nature, developing social and emotional skills, and participating in hands-on STEM and art activities.

Launched in 2021, Friendly Towns Connect was designed to build community by providing opportunities for NYC children and volunteer host families to engage in virtual programming together. Children, ages 7-12, participated in programming focused on art and STEM, with interactive activities ranging from building star projectors and bird feeders to scavenger hunts.

Partner organizations in NYC and throughout Friendly Towns hosted Friday virtual field trips, including Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Intrepid Museum, the Brandt Foundation Art Study Center, Flying Deer Nature Center in East Chatham, NY and Living Classrooms in Baltimore, MD. Children in both programs received supply kits with books and materials for activities.

1,340

supply boxes were sent to participants in virtual programs

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“I really enjoyed growing my own plant. We also got to read comics, and every day before our session, we would always answer cool questions. It was so much fun! I learned something new every day!”

– Rimsha, 9

92%

of Fresh Air Everywhere campers want to take better care of the environment

WHERE I was inspired to focus on my future

Year-Round Programs As students have transitioned from remote learning and hybrid learning to being back inside a classroom, our year-round programs have provided a critical source of support. Our tutoring program matches students one-onone with volunteers who help with academic skill building and serve as trusted role models.

The College Connections Program has provided guidance, resources and ongoing support for students as they apply to college and explore a full range of post-secondary options.

“With my tutor’s help, I get higher grades on my homework and we talk about the books I’m reading!”

– Ibraheem, 16

The Young Women’s Giving Circle (YWGC) is a youth-led program that teaches girls about the importance of community service and the power of philanthropy. The group has expanded, and in addition to weekly virtual meetings, the young women have participated in weekend field trips around NYC and to camp.

Camp Junior participants, youth ages 8-15 from the Bronx, have participated in year-round activities including a running club, self-defense workshops, community meetings and service projects.

100+

youth participated in the College Connections Program

6,424 hours of tutoring

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FINANCIALS Funds for Jan 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021

OPERATING SUPPORT AND REVENUE Off-Season Use of Camps

$ 342,946

Investment Income

$ 2,181,095

Contributions & Grants*

$ 16,271,581

Total Support and Revenue

$ 18,795,622

OPERATING EXPENSES PROGRAM SERVICES Friendly Towns Activities

$ 2,845,374

Fresh Air Camps

$ 3,326,097

Sharpe Reservation

$ 3,977,779

Virtual and Community Programs

$ 3,060,636

SUPPORTING SERVICES Management & General

$ 1,588,985

Fundraising

$ 3,996,751

Total Expenses

$ 18,795,622

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Not included in the above are: (a) Bequests and Trusts and Other Gifts added to funds functioning as Endowment

$ 482,492

(b) Net gain (loss) on investment transactions

$ 11,293,895

(c) Depreciation expense

($ 1,600,135)

* Total contributions raised also include item (a).

* (Total contributions for 2021 - $16,754,072.)

As of December 31, 2021: Assets, Liabilities and Net Assets

($) Amount

Assets

$ 157,511,342

Liabilities Net Assets

$ 1,866,738 $ 155,644,603

FYE 2020, net assets balance

$ 140,166,524

FYE 2019, net assets balance

$ 134,249,594

Audited financials for Fiscal Year 2021 will be available at FreshAir.org as of May 4, 2022. A copy of our financial reports may be obtained from The Fresh Air Fund, 633 Third Avenue, 14th floor, New York, NY 10017 (212) 897-8900, from the New York State Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005, or from the Charities Registry on the New York State Attorney General’s website, www.charitiesnys.com. ©️ 2022 The Fresh Air Fund

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LEGACIES AND BEQUESTS

The following donors chose The Fresh Air Fund as a beneficiary of their estate, leaving a legacy of growth, learning and fresh air to NYC children for generations to come. Visit FreshAir.org to learn about more options for planned gifts.

LEGACIES AND BEQUESTS INCOME January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021 Peter A. Batacan Revocable Trust The Ferns Gladys Brown Revocable Trust Robert L. Feller Trust

Estate of Jean D. Pitcher Estate of Jacqueline Albert Simon Estate of Georgina M. Walker Trust of Betty G. Waller

Estate of Peter W. Josten The Lillian W. Patrick Trust

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DONORS AND PARTNERS CHAMPIONS $100,000+

Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Pittman

Jill S. Lafer

John Roach Trust Fund

George Ledes

Robin Hood Foundation

Nancy Long, Ph.D. and Marc N. Waldor

SPONSORS $5,000–$9,999

Anonymous

Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund

Lovelight Fund of the Community

Anonymous (18)

Abrahamson Family Foundation

Betsy and Paul Shiverick

Foundation for Palm Beach and

American Camping Association

Blavatnik Family Foundation

The Shubert Organization, Inc.

Martin Counties

Drew Anderman

Bloomberg Philanthropies

The Sternlicht Family Foundation Inc.

The Nicholas Martini Foundation

Jody and John Arnhold

The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck

Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch

Richard and Carole Mavity

William O. Bailey

Tommy Hilfiger USA, Inc.

Theodore and Karin Mayer Family

Arthur H. Barnes

Foundation Mariah Carey

Universal Music Group

The Estée Lauder Companies

Vital Projects Fund

Kathy and Joseph N. Mele

Chip and Jennifer Weiss

Joyce F. Menschel

Naomi Bennett

The Witten Family Foundation

Morgan Stanley

Paul Berger-Gross

MUFG Union Bank Foundation

Kathy Fein Bierman

Netflix

Susan Blaustein and Alan Berlow

New York City Department

Alan Blinder

Charitable Foundation Jerome L. Greene Foundation Otto Haas Charitable Trust Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie John and Jeanet Irwin/JJJ Charitable Foundation

PATRONS $10,000–$24,999

Foundation, Inc.

of Transportation

The Theodore H. Barth Foundation

Marcella A. G. Boelhouwer

The JPB Foundation

Anonymous (9)

Leonard and Judy Lauder

Richard A. Allen

William P. Lauder and

James Attwood and Leslie Williams

Donald Newhouse

Virginia Brody

Sandra Atlas Bass & Edythe & Sol G.

Esmond Nissim Foundation

David M. Charytan

Olmstead Properties, Inc. -

Diana Childress

Lori Kanter Tritsch Barbara Marcin Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies

BENEFACTORS $25,000–$99,999

Atlas Fund Frances Berger

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Samuel W. Rosenblatt

Colleen M. Bondy Jeffrey Boutilier

Ray Compagna

Bloomingdale’s

Yoko Ono

Catherine Crimmins

Blair and Elizabeth Boyer

Paula K. Oppenheim

Bob and Leslie Dahl

Kaija and Peter Braus

Origo-Levy Child Welfare Fund

Anthony N. D’Avella

Katherine K. Brobeck

Orr-Pitts Family Charitable

Elisabeth de Picciotto

Bulldog Ventures, LTD

Annuity Trust

Harriet Ford Dickenson Foundation

Anonymous (3)

Nancy S. Calcagnini

Rafael Pelli and Kate Walbert

Charles C. Cahn, Jr.

The Richard E. Capri Foundation/

Penguin Random House, Inc.

Dime Community Bank

Katherine C. Pierce

Karen and Greg Dimit

Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation

Patrick B. Dorsey

Edward J. Purce

Anne and John Duffy

The Frances and Abraham Reichman

Elizabeth E. Ehrenfeld

Citi Michael T. Cohen and Andrew H. Roos on behalf of 23rd Street Properties

Steven M. and Heather Wolf Mats and Lydia Carlston/ Winston & Strawn

Con Edison

Neil and Argero Clark

Catherine and Patrick de Saint-Aignan

Continental Grain Company

Andreas C. Dracopoulos

Daniel and Ellen Crown

Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor

Connie Ellison

LizabethAnn Rogovoy Eisen

Sharon Davisa

Samuel W. Rosenblatt

Jeanette Emmarco

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Ahmed Deria and Grace Chung

Greg Rosica/EY

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Wendy Flanagan and Chris O’Malley

Dillard’s

Rubenstein Associates, Inc.

Equinox Fitness Clubs

The Goodnow Fund

Karoline Dunne

Win and Mary Rutherfurd

ESPN

Jochem Gottmers

Doris Egan

Scripps Family Fund for Education and

Mary A. Fribourg

Christina and Donald Hawks III

Martin Elias

The Hearst Foundation, Inc.

Marc A. Feigen

Richard and Carol Seltzer

Robert A. and Jane G. Friedman

Lancaster Charitable Trust

Lily Palmer Fry Memorial Trust

Richard Shepard and Carolyn Horwitz

Liz and Ed Gaelick

The Lawrence Foundation

Jane L. Gilbert

Dr. and Mrs. Bernard E. Small

J. Patrick Gallagher

Gregory D. Lee and Amanda Moretti

Agnes Gund

Howard Solomon and

Peter Gerbic

Mr. and Mrs. David Levine

The James Huntington Foundation

Alexis and Laura Maged

Island Capital

Gillian Sorensen

Global Endowment Management

Robert Matloff

Craig and Janice Ivey

John Templeton Foundation

Barbara Freid Gottesman

Marie-Noelle Meyer

The Joel Foundation

The TJX Foundation, Inc.

Jane Hall

The Ambrose Monell Foundation

Freda S. Johnson

Lance R. Wachenheim

George A. Hambrecht

Glenn and Alina Pacchiana/

Howard Johnson Foundation

Lucille Werlinich

Linda Peyton Hancock

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Beth and Brad Whitman

Mr. and Mrs. Ben Harris

David and Nilam Perpich

Rick and Mary Beth Ketchum

Beth and Leonard Wilf

Jay and Ellen Hass

The Pinkerton Foundation

Hersch M. Klaff

Thalle Industries

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The Fresh Air Fund is very grateful to our loyal and generous donors for supporting our programs. The following names are listed in recognition of their gifts received January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021.

Charitable Trust

the Arts

Sarah Billinghurst Solomon

Gregory and Melissa Elders

Jennifer Weiss Friedman

Cathe Giffuni

Christine Haydinger

John Steinberg and Jill Pliskin

Bronx Community Board 9

Morgan Stanley

Sari R. Hornstein

Jean L. and Robert A. Stern

Brooklyn Bridge Park

NASDAQ

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

New Settlement

Brooklyn Community Board 7

New York Cares

Brooklyn Community Board 8

New York City Department of Parks

Industrial Arts Brewing Company Interaudi Bank Paul Isaac

Foundation Stoller Family Charitable Lead Annuity Trust

J.M. Kaplan Fund

The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation

Brooklyn Community Board 16

William and Alexis Joel

Ben and Charlotte Sullivan

Brooklyn Public Library

Carol C. Johnson

Karen N. Taylor

CAA

Peter Johnson

Trish Todd

Chinese-America Planning Council

Jacqueline Jones-Peace

Scott and Locky Trachsel

Citibank

Mary R. Upton

City Council Majority Leader

and Breon Peace Gail and James Kellogg Family Fund Zoe Kirby

Michael A. Wall Warburg Pincus Private Client Group

Laurie Cumbo

& Recreation New York City Department of Sanitation New York City Department of Transportation New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

City Council Member Diana Ayala

The New York Times Company

City Council Member

Tasheea Nicholson/Project Pixie

Olivia Knotts

Mary Waterman and William Lunt

Jane Koppelman

Alice and Lawrence Weiner

City Parks Foundation

Nomad Outdoor Guide LLC

Sidney and Judith Kranes

Mark and Pamela Weinstein

CLS Group

Nuventra Pharma Sciences

Paul Weissman

Cognilibro

NYPD Community Affairs

Rae Morgan Krelitz

Donna Welicky and Stephen O’Neill

Common Ground Farm

NYU Langone Health

Isabelle B. Krusen and

Margaret and Gary Wendlandt

Culture Lab LIC at The Plaxall

Ocean Alliance

Foundation

Michael C. Sodikoff

Sara R. Wilford

Vanessa Gibson

Gallery

NOLS

On

Wendy Kulberg

Forrest Williams

DiMassimo Goldstein

OneSight

Betsy and Richard Langberg

Vanessa Wilson

DJ Rashida

Daphne Oz

Nancy Langsan and

Donna and Melvin Young

ECS Psychological Services

Paul, Weiss

Judith and Allen Zern

Eggbert Free Range Farm

Penguin Random House

Susan Zirkl Z.L. Memorial

Energizer

PennPraxis, Stuart Weitzman

Daniel K. Bernstein Donald Lateiner Jane Lauder The Ronald and Jo Carole Lauder Foundation Joseph H. Levie John and Helen Lobrano Stephanie Lynch Marian Malcolm Marcum Foundation, Inc. Robin Matt Brenna Mead Richard and Ronay Menschel Joane Molenock The Montgomery Family Foundation New York Life Insurance Company Clover Nicholas Lukasz and Dana Niedzielski Ilse Nordenholz John O’Connor Abby Pratt Joan Rechnitz Red Mountain Fund The Renaissance Foundation Chelsey Jo Ring Michelle Rotella Matthew and Melissa Rubel Rubin Family Foundation David L. Russo and Mary Gail Gearns Nancy Sands Elizabeth H. Scheuer and Peter A. Joseph Mindy Schneider and Michael Lesser Thomas Schumacher Shake Shack Alice L. Shaner-Simpson Margaret Siber Maria Smith Erinn Steele Philip S. Steers

Charitable Foundation Trust Susan Zohn

Donors who generously supported our programs at the $1,000-$4,999 level are listed at FreshAir.org/donors-partners

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

Enterprise-Rent-A-Car ESPN

School of Design, University of Pennsylvania

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

The Pit NYC

Leesa Evans

Proskauer Rose LLP

First Book

PVH

Flying Deer Nature Center

Queens Community Board 3

Free Country

Queens District Attorney

Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts

Melinda Katz Queens Public Library

who helped us by donating items, giving of their time, collaborating on programs and providing additional encouragement and support.

Governors Island

Chanler Rutherfurd

Barbara Graves-Poller

Sabra

The High Line

SCAN Harbor

Holland & Knight LLP

The School of The New York Times

House of Speakeasy

Senator Roxanne J. Persaud

Hudson Highlands Trust

Senator Gustavo Rivera

34th Ave Open Streets Coalition

Hudson Valley Maple Farm

Senator José M. Serrano

Hunger Free NYC

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

SPF Skin Protection Foundation

Jill & Ally

State Street

JPMorgan Chase

Studio Rappy

Julep Beauty

Styles by Pat

Karate Do Ken Wa Kan

Sweet Blackberry

Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club

Syncopated Ladies

Kora Management LLP

Syneos Health

Likey Co.

Taproot Foundation

Living Classrooms

Andy Taylor

L’Oreal

Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga

Marilyn Machlowitz

The TJX Companies

MacKay Shields

Union Settlement

Macy’s

Union Square Partnership

Manhattan Borough President

Uniqlo USA

Nicki Adler Airband American Ballet Theatre American Dream Charter School AS Beauty Co. The ASCAP Foundation Assembly Member Catalina Cruz Assembly Member Latoya Joyner Assembly Member Latrice M. Walker Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie Away Travel Beam Center Anna Berger Biobus Brandt Foundation Art Study Center Brighter Bites Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Bronx Community Board 1 Bronx Community Board 4

Gail Brewer Manhattan Community Board 11 The Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety

United Nations United States Tennis Association (USTA) University of Virginia at Wise

Meadowbrook Farm

Uptown Grand Central

Lisa Menechino

Urban Arts Partnership

Meredith Zinner Photography

Warner Music Group

Michter’s Distillery

The Writer

MIKI HOUSE Americas, Inc.

Youthful Savings

Morgan Lewis

Zogo

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Looking Forward TO SUMMER 2022

The two years of the pandemic have been particularly difficult for children. In addition, Fresh Air children and families live in communities that are among the most affected by the public health and economic crises. Fresh Air programs play a vital role in providing social emotional support to children, which we know will be a critical need this summer.

We are committed to providing New York City children from underserved communities with summer experiences in the outdoors that help them connect with other children and caring adults, have new experiences, learn new things, make friends, gain confidence and, of course, have fun. We are excited that we can now provide these experiences in New York City, as well as outside the city at our camps and with volunteer host families.

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When we reimagined our programs during the pandemic and found new ways to provide accessible, safe, free and enriching summer opportunities for New York City children and families, we saw once again how powerful an engaging summer experience can be. The impact of our programs, which are made possible through the generosity of our supporters and partners, live on far beyond summer… because a summer can last a lifetime.

FOR SUMMER 2022... we are looking forward to children returning to our sleepaway camps in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley and to reuniting Fresh Air children with volunteer host families through the Friendly Towns program. We also plan to continue many of the new programs that were created during the pandemic including the Summer Teen Academy, Family Wellness and Summer Spaces.

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OUR BOARD OFFICERS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

William P. Lauder Chairman of the Board

June Ambrose

Gregory D. Lee

Tiki Barber

Alexis F. Maged

John N. Irwin III Vice Chairman

Mariah Carey

Joseph J. Magliocco

Mats G. Carlston

David S. Perpich

Derrick D. Cephas

Caroline Cummings Rafferty

Ahmed Deria

Nancy Rooney

Barbaralee Diamonstein-

Greg Rosica

Wendy R. Flanagan President LizabethAnn Rogovoy Eisen Vice President

Spielvogel

Winthrop Rutherfurd, Jr. Secretary Donald L. Hawks III Treasurer

Kimberly E. Steward

Hugh Grant

Richard D. Thomas

Craig S. Ivey

Bradley A. Whitman

Howard B. Johnson

Steven M. Wolf

Isabelle B. Krusen

COUNCIL Isabelle B. Krusen

Samuel del Pilar II

Courtney Alexis Langer

Chanler Rutherfurd

Council President

Nicole DeFosset

Amelie Lonergan

Walsy K. Sáez

Suzanne DeFosset

Kehinde Longe

Alexandra and

Steve DeLuca

David Mehlman

Edward Shaheen

Amanda Starbuck

Andrae Mitchell

Anthony Shropshire

Elizabeth Morgan

Kaitlin R. Slattery

Elizabeth Harrow

Cecilia Mortimore

Clifton and Tina Teagle

Sade Henry

Nina Morton

Tamie Peters Thomas

Lindsay K. Herron

Bisha Nurse

Evan W. Uhlick

H. Branch Johnson

Benji Nwachukwu

Mara Upson

Meena Khot

Will C. Page

Lauren Wallerstein

Daniel Kosinski

Megan Petrie Ramm

Emily Weiss-Cook

Cristen Koufakis

Will Rodd

Dwight Williams

Alex Kupferberg

Josh Rollo

Ashton Abbot Nicole Adler Peter Harris Alden Ian Bain Scott K. Banerjee Anna J. Berger Taryn and Alex Berkett Michael Bogner Meghan Borden Libby Burton Bryant Dang Anne Davey

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Hanlan

A Season of Hope

April 22, 2021

By The Editorial Board

The Fresh Air Fund offers a summer escape from New York City.

When Sky Sze was 8 years old, the Fresh Air Fund gave him his first escape from New York City. Through the organization’s Friendly Towns program, he was able to leave Sunset Park in Brooklyn over the summer and spend a week living on Cape Cod, where he learned to swim and boogie board.

A decade later, the organization again gave him solace. When both of his parents lost their jobs at the start of the Covid-19 crisis — his mother worked at a nail salon and his father as a cook — the Fresh Air Fund hired him to work at a city-based camp offering children free recreational programming during the pandemic.

“We had this gloomy pandemic situation, but it made it heartwarming to be able to go outside and spend time with kids,” said Mr. Sze, now 19. When he started the job, making $15 an hour, he felt relieved to be able to contribute to his family’s savings.

Many of his most blissful childhood memories were made possible by the Fresh Air Fund. He spent at least a week each summer, for 10 years, living with a host family on Cape Cod. That first summer, he was carsick on the way to meet his host family. He was nervous about being far from his parents. But within days, the new environment brought all sorts of joys he’d never known. He learned to fish. He learned to build sand castles. He learned the simple excitement of barbecuing in a backyard.

“Backyards don’t really exist in the city, unless you grow up on Staten Island,” he said. “Being able to enjoy a hamburger while you watch friends play baseball or tag is really heartwarming.”

Last summer, as Covid-19 tore through New York and put his parents out of work, Mr. Sze was able to pass on the bliss he experienced through the Fresh Air Fund to younger New York City children. The program he worked for, Summer Spaces, served more than 1,000 campers across 10 New York City sites. He helped teach arts and crafts, including kite making and robot building.

Waking up for work each day, he thought about how relieved his campers must have been to find a distraction from the grief of jobless or sick family members; they had been given an escape, just as he was as a kid.

Sky Sze in Brooklyn on Tuesday. Makeda Sandford for The New York Times

After 145 years, the Fresh Air Fund reimagined its work during the Covid-19 crisis. The organization began four programs designed to follow coronavirus safety protocols: Summer Spaces, a virtual youth summer learning academy, a virtual nature-focused camp and a family wellness program that enabled New York families to take day trips to camps upstate.

Nearly 300 families participated in the wellness program, escaping the city for a day of kayaking, swimming and sampling Hudson Valley produce. This year, the organization hopes to expand that program to include overnight visits.

“We reimagined summer in the face of Covid,” said Fatima Shama, the executive director of the Fresh Air Fund.

The Fresh Air Fund plans to reach thousands more New York City children from low-income families this year. A donation of $1,500 funds a two-day trip for a family to a Fresh Air Fund camp, and $520 covers the cost of 10 Camp in a Box activity kits for young campers. The fund hopes to raise more than $12 million by the end of September.

Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to the Fresh Air Fund, 633 Third Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Families who wish to be hosts, or parents who would like to sign up their children, may call the Fresh Air Fund at (800) 367-0003 or visit www.freshair.org.

Copyright ©2021 by The New York Times Company. Reprinted with permission.

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THE FRESH AIR FUND 633 Third Avenue, 14th Floor New York, NY 10017 212.897.8900 | 800.367.0003 www.FreshAir.org freshair@freshair.org @freshairfund @freshairfund @thefreshairfund

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Joan Barker, Jenna Bascom, Katie Borrazzo, Allison Engkvist, Liz Ligon, Gaja Papa and Meredith Zinner

The printing of The Fresh Air Fund’s 2021 Annual Report has been generously donated by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.