Children’s Fresh Air Home in North Wildwood Enters Phase 3
The Children’s Fresh Air Home in North Wildwood, New Jersey, has been a beacon of hope and opportunity for disadvantaged children in the region for over a century.
Its mission of offering children the chance to escape the difficulties of daily life and experience the joy of a seaside vacation has touched the lives of thousands.
Children’s Fresh Air Home in North Wildwood Enters Phase 3
The roots of the Children’s Fresh Air Home stretch back to 1896 when L. Ida Dukes, a 41-year-old mother of six, saw a need in her community.
Living in Philadelphia, Dukes recognized that many families could not afford summer vacations for their children.
Determined to help, she began inviting local children from less fortunate backgrounds to spend a day along the Delaware River, giving them a chance to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and the simple pleasures of childhood.
Dukes’s vision expanded over the years, and in 1911, she brought her first group of children to Wildwood, a coastal town known for its beaches and boardwalk.
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The success of this early initiative led to the founding of the Children’s Fresh Air Home in 1923. Located at 1100 Surf Avenue in North Wildwood, the Home was designed to provide summer respite for underprivileged children, many from the Philadelphia and South Jersey areas.
By 2006, however, the Children’s Fresh Air Home faced a significant challenge. The building, which had been serving children for nearly 80 years, was in desperate need of repairs and renovation.
The aging structure, which had withstood decades of use, required extensive work to meet modern standards of safety and accessibility.
The organization was faced with the difficult decision to close the Home in order to complete much-needed restoration temporarily.
A dedicated team of volunteers, donors, and supporters rallied to the cause. They launched fundraising campaigns, held community events, and sought grants to help restore the building to its former glory.
The restoration efforts helped to raise the home to lift the house (phase 1), fix up the exterior (phase 2) ,and fix the interior (phase 3).
As of March 2025, the Children’s Fresh Air Home is in Phase 3 of its restoration. This phase is focused on completing the final structural updates, including the installation of modern amenities, building out the kitchen, bathroom, dorms, nurse’s station, and so much more.
The ongoing restoration efforts are made possible through the generous support of volunteers, donors, and community members who share in the mission of providing children in need with a memorable summer experience.
The goal, is to have the house fully open by this summer.
It was almost a decade ago when the Wildwood Video Archive first did a story on the Children’s Fresh Air Home by asking you all to donate.
Today, we are now bringing you inside to see the status of the building for the first time since that video.
If you would like to donate to Children’s Fresh Air Home, click here.
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