mothers on the verge

We've written about the Fresh Air Fund before ; it's an organisation that does very valuable work, giving inner-city children in the U.S. positive experiences which will broaden their horizons and allow them to see very different worlds and ways of life to that of their own. FAF organises stays with volunteer host families and FAF camps for needy inner-city kids in the school summer holidays. Most of these children spend their whole lives in urban areas with little exposure to the natural world and animals, and few opportunities to swim, hike, climb and all the other fun stuff that a lot of more fortunate kids take for granted. FAF is looking for host families to volunteer for Summer 2011. If you think you might be able to help, watch the video below then go to the website to find out more.

I took The Rabbit and headed out to California for some fresh air this summer. Just a couple of weeks in Los Angeles (and yes, I can hear your all snickering that Los Angeles is hardly the bastion for fresh air. Save it.) For a Californian trapped in New York, anything on the West screams fresh to me. And after nearly a year sitting in my particular concrete jungle, I am often ready willing and gnaw at something to get off the island. That's one reason I think the Fresh Air Fund is pretty cool. Yes, I'm about to hawk about the group. But I think it's a worthwhile organization -- and I love that they basically get kids out of the city and give them that space and time to sit under a tree and stare off at clouds, without a police copter hanging over their building until 3 am. (That's another post for another day..) Even though it's August, the Fresh Air Fund is STILL looking for some host families to offer more children a summer break. And parents can still sign up ...