This is the second summer Evan Francis, a 9-year-old boy from the Bronx, is experiencing country life in Bergen with the Rowland Family through the Fresh Air Fund’s program.
The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, provides free summer experiences in small-town settings to New York City children who come from low-income communities. Children ages 6 to 18 are selected to participate in the program based on financial need.
Host families volunteer to have a child stay with them and go through an extensive interview process. Fresh Air representatives match families and children based on common interests.
Rob and Maria Rowland decided to become a host family after they discovered the program when researching adoption online. They thought it would be a good opportunity for their two children, Vito, age 17, and Luke, age 8, to experience a different culture.
“Evan gets to experience a different lifestyle coming out here and we get to experience bringing him into our home,” Maria Rowland said.
Last summer, was the first year Francis stayed at the Rowland’s home. During the 10-day visit, the family took Francis boating, fishing and sightseeing at Niagara Falls.
Francis said his favorite part about living in the country is going fishing and swimming in the family’s pool. Although he enjoys going on day trips with the family, he is just as content playing outside with his buddy Luke Rowland.
“Fresh Air makes it easy for us because they just want him to experience our life just the way it would be normally,” Rob Rowland said. “Whatever we do he does.”
Due to the strong bond the Rowland’s have formed with Francis, he is staying six weeks this summer. He arrived on July 1.
In the future, the family plans on having Evan visit every summer through the program. According to Maria Rowland, it’s fairly common to have families host the same child every year because they become so close during the visits.
