Host Families Needed in Upstate New York for Summer Season

Nearly 150 years ago, a pastor in a rural northeastern Pennsylvania community stood before his congregation and asked his parishioners if they would open not only their hearts but also their homes to children from the city.

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From that plea was born the Fresh Air Fund, a New York City-based nonprofit that has, to date, allowed 1.8 million city children to spend their summer in rural and suburban areas of their state during the summer months.

As summer approaches, the Fresh Air Fund is once again looking for families in Upstate New York who might be interested in opening their doors for a child between the ages of eight and 14 to spend a week enjoying time outdoors playing in the yard, riding bikes, swimming, catching fireflies, gazing at the stars, and making memories that they won't ever forget.

Host families must live within three hours of New York City and families should have at least one child that lives in the home and a bed for the host child to sleep in. There are, of course, background checks and a small amount of training, but there is no cost to the family to be a Fresh Air Fund host. COVID-19 vaccinations are not required, although they are recommended.

Lisa Gitelson, The Fund’s Chief Executive Officer said, “Volunteer host families can create lifelong connections, gain new perspectives, and make memories that will last a lifetime."

If you're interested in learning more about The Fresh Air Fund’s host volunteer program and how you can open your heart and your home to a child from New York City, please visit www.FreshAir.org/Host or call 1-800-367-0003.

20 Upstate New York Museums That Will Have Your Kids Saying, "Wow! That Was Fun! Can We Go Back?"

New York State has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to museums. And we have featured many of them i previous galleries. This one takes a look at children's museums. Most kids will admit that a museum seems like an "old person thing to do." But these special places will have your kids saying, "Mom, can we go back? That was great!"

Here is a list of 20 New York State museums that kids and teenagers will enjoy to the fullest. They are all pretty much hands-on museums and all encourage interaction with the young visitors.

These museums lean heavy on hands-on science exhibits, play areas, and specialty programs for all ages. Take a look at this gallery and see which one fits your family's ages. From high school kids to programs geared to the littlest tykes you will find one that fits perfectly for your group.

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

These Are the Smallest Counties in New York State. And We Mean SMALL!!

There are 62 counties in the state of New York. The largest (by population) is Kings County (Brooklyn). It has a population of 2,726,002 people. But, there are far more smaller counties in the state than larger ones. This list takes a look at the smallest counties in New York, with all of them in some region of Upstate New York. Even though they are sparsely populated, each has a few places that any NYS road warrior might want to stop at and explore. So here are the 19 smallest counties (by most recent population data) in the state and what you might find on a visit to each of them. Two interesting pieces of trivia you will find in this list. The largest of the 19 counties on this list could take every single resident in the whole county out to Highmark Stadium out to the Buffalo area to watch a Buffalo Bills football game, and still have room for 10,000 more guests in the stadium. And (this one will blow your mind) the very smallest county in New York State literally has no stop lights in the entire county!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio