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ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. -- Several Central New York families are welcoming New York City children into their families as part of the Fresh Air Fund.

Eleven children ages six to 18 left their city lives behind Monday to experience life in Central New York.

The Fresh Air Fund is a not-for-profit organization that provides free summer vacations to New York City kids from low-income communities. Their summers are spent with families who live in rural, suburban and small town communities.

For many kids, this is the first time leaving home, but for some, it is a return visit to the same host families they stayed with in previous summers.

"I think it's important for them to be able to get out of the city, away from maybe the crime that's going on there and be able to come out and feel free to play and be a kid for a little while," said Mary Keach, a Fresh Air host parent.

Each summer, more than 4,000 children participate in the summer vacation program.