Host families are not paid, but want to share their homes with inner-city youngsters.

These are inner-city youngsters recalling last summer's joyous vacations away from the streets of New York.

Westbrook tries to show inner-city youngsters an alternative to street life.

This is not a problem limited to inner-city youngsters.

The former mayor of New York City helped the group set up an education system that has served 30,000 inner-city youngsters.

The need for help in early childhood is especially acute for urban, inner-city youngsters, many of whom are black or Hispanic.

Families who play host to the children "must simply want to share their homes with inner-city youngsters," according to the fund's brochure.

Most hosts just want to open their homes to disadvantaged inner-city youngsters for two weeks during the summer.

"After 10 years of increased state funding, we still are not providing inner-city youngsters with the skills to compete," he said.

Jonathan was one of nearly 10,000 inner-city youngsters between the ages of 5 and 12 who spent a free vacation in the country last year.