Summer Camping For New York City Children
The Fresh Air Fund owns and operates five camps located on The Fund’s Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, New York, 65 miles north of New York City. Sharpe Reservation has 2,300 acres of beautiful land with lakes, ponds, streams and hiking trails through the woods.
Camp Tommy is The Fund's camp for boys, ages 12 to 15, with 120 campers in each session. Camp Tommy offers hiking, nature and other outdoor programs designed to develop cooperation and encourage team building. Major improvements and recently constructed facilities have created opportunities for significant educational programs, such as literacy and career skills development, computer workshops, photography and music. Originally Camp Pioneer from 1948-1998, Camp Tommy's inaugural year was 1999. Camp Tommy is named after Tommy Hilfiger for his generous support and dedication to Fresh Air children.
Camp Hayden-Marks Memorial serves 204 boys each session, age nine to 12. Campers enjoy outdoor activities including sports, cooperative games, boating, arts and crafts, drama, science and hiking. Boys at Hayden-Marks Memorial also benefit from educational activities, including computers, video, music and art.
At Camp ABC, girls live in small groups where they learn to develop self-confidence, independence and teamwork skills. Educational programs promote environmental awareness, cultural arts and physical fitness in a fun, safe, supportive environment. Each session, 216 girls make new friends while participating in many different fun and exciting activities.
Camp Hidden Valley serves 130 girls and boys with and without special needs, ages eight to 12. At this unique camp, children with and without disabilities live and play together and find out how much they have in common. Some of the special needs our campers have include sickle-cell anemia, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, hearing impairments and physical disabilities that require the use of wheelchairs, braces or crutches. Camp activities include art, hiking, nature and creative writing. The specially designed pool complex is enjoyed by all campers, including children who use wheelchairs, braces or other forms of assistance.
Camp Mariah, The Fund's Career Awareness Camp, enables nearly 300 inner-city adolescents to explore educational paths and career options, while enjoying camp adventures. Camp Mariah offers a unique setting to engage boys and girls in an educational curriculum and prepare them for the world of work. Intensive three-and-a-half-week summer sessions and weekend camping trips are complemented by year-round activities in New York City. Children must be in the sixth grade to apply for the Career Awareness Program. Camp Mariah is named after Board member Mariah Carey for her generous support and dedication to Fresh Air children.
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