Families wanted to host inner city kids
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism is looking for local families who can play host to guest children from New York who will be visiting Cayman this summer. A partnership between Cayman Airways, the Fresh Air Fund and the DoT provides young people from underprivileged backgrounds from the inner city and urban environment the chance of a life time vacation. The children aged between 10-12 will be arriving in Cayman on 22 July and staying for one week to experience some of the most unique and exciting activities the Caribbean has to offer.
The Department of Tourism is looking for families to get involved in this great cause by hosting participants during their trip. Any families interested in serving as hosts for the kids or private organizations who would like to provide services or materials for the trip can contact Nasaria Budal-Coe from the DOT at ncoe@caymanislands.ky. Host families will be invited to participate in the week’s activities.
The Fresh Air Fund adolescents coming down to Cayman are selected by the organization based on their achievements, their willingness to succeed and their history with the organization. Each year, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism works closely with The Fresh Air Fund to ensure the group experiences warm Caymanian culture and hospitality by flying direct on Cayman Airways and visiting attractions such as Stingray City, Boatswain’s Beach, Pedro St. James and QE II Botanic Park.
The group will also take an adventure-filled day trip to one of the sister islands. The trip is meant to provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience new things outside of New York City to kids who wouldn’t be able to visit without the generosity provided by Cayman and the host families and private partners who help make the trip a reality.
The Fresh Air Fund is an independent, not-for-profit agency that has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. The organization garners extensive media coverage both in New York and on a national scale, and provides an ideal opportunity for the Cayman Islands to showcase its well-earned reputationfor hospitality and warmth.
Category: Local News
This is a good gesture by Dot and as can be seen there is a lot of energy, money and planning that goes into it.
What I would like to see and read about is what Dot is doing for the unfortunate children of the Cayman Islands? There are Caymanian children who have never gone to Stingray City, Botanic Park or the Sister Islands. If Dot can partner with the Fresh Air Fund and work so hard to accommodate these children from overseas; why can’t they partner with the Big Brother, Big Sisters or Family Services to identify the unfortunate children of the cayman Is. to share the same experience?
That is what the private sector should do … NOT the Dept. of Tourism. And not jus the tourism private sector, any of theprivate sector can work to make this happen!
This is good for Cayman’s image.
My family hosted two girls from the Fresh Air Fund in 2009 and it was a wonderful experience. It is so rewarding to help those from the broader community and share a bit of our island paradise. This trip was the first time most of the kids had gotten on a plane. We are so lucky here in Cayman. Most of us take trips to Miami and Jamaica but for these kids travel wasn’t even a thought. I would encourage anyone who’s even remotely interested to become a host family. You won’t regret it!
Since when did it become DoT’s resonsibility to stop kids ‘becomming gangstas?’ Isn’t that the job of their parents? And to answer your question about what the DoT does for our own kids, how about the apprentice programme which they run for young adults which not only teaches them necessary skills for placement into the tourism industry, it finds suitable positions for them once they have completed the course.
Isn’t it better to say something positive and applaud the efforts of the many ‘kids’ that have benefitted from this programme and are working in the industry than being negative for negative sake and commenting on things you know nothing about?
…. what about our own underprivileged children?????
Jesu Christo. The DOT really needs to be closed down Are you totally clueless?. How about finding families here for our own "underprivileged kids" to try to stop them becoming gangstas. ForGod in heaven’s sake, try to do something for OUR OWN kids, DOT!!!!!
That is not DOT’s job … their job is to draw attention to the Cayman Islands for tourism purposes and the individuals who support this in New York ARE the people who come to Cayman on holiday and who will TALK to their peers about what a great place the Cayman Islands is. However, you do raise a good point – maybe our own Social Services should look at copying this programme locally or maybe the Govt. should investigate a reciprocal programme which I believe was discussed when the DOT first started this programme.
How lovely. 🙂
This is a very worthwhile program and my family has hosted children from New York both in 2008 and 2009. We may be off the island this year on vacation and may not be able to participate, however, we would certainly encourage others to get involved. What is not mentioned in the article is that only 10-12 children come to Cayman each year so only 5-6 families are needed to host the children as they usually place 2 children per family.
God help these poor kids. They’ll leave their underpriveleged lives in New York hoping for acouple of weeks in Paradise. They’ll be worried about getting shot or stabbed and want to get back to their safe sa nctuary in NY.
And yes this is a fair comment. Crime per capita is much lower there
Don’t be rediculous … per capita means very little in these circumstances. Would you go spend a week or two living in these kids’ neighborhoods? Didn’t think so.
Violent crime for the most part occurs in localized reigions, just as it is here. As with most others I’m saddened by the crime of recent that we’ve seen here but I don’t fear for my life.
Just as you can go to NYC or LA and have a great time while most likely being advised where to avoid. The same applies here and to our recent crime wave.
Per capita doesn’t apply to your lame comment.
We’ve hosted a child from the Fresh Air Fund and it’s a wonderful experience. The chlidren are so sweet and so amazed to be out of the city.