Brian, Mayghan, Deb and Brooke Simano stand with "Precious" movie producer, Sarah Siegel-Magness and leading role actress, Gabourey Sidibe, at The Fresh Air Fund Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, NY.

VIP treatment was given to the Simanos who received a tour of the facility, and were introduced to the guests of honor and fed lunch seated in a manner that encouraged direct conversation with the teen campers. Deb Simano asked the talkative girl named Gabby who sat next to her what she hoped to do with her life, the response was "I have high hopes for myself," and went on to list three lofty career goals. The board and staff for The Fresh Air Fund have been waiting for the funding that Precious producers afforded them and are anxious to provide the leadership training to make the high hopes for girls like Gabby a reality.

Aware of the role the movie played in the acquisition of the cabins the Simanos saw the "feel bad/feel good" movie and like all other viewers were disturbed by the portrayal of abuse and the role that illiteracy played in keeping the situation seemingly hopeless. After seeing first hand a day in the life of the teen camper the Simanos drove toward home in silence for a good twenty minutes contemplating the experience. Deb Simano asked her children what they were thinking, their sentiment was expressed "no matter how many pictures we share or stories we tell no one will ever understand how hopeful we feel for these kids." Their parents couldn't agree more.

The Fresh Air Fund is a not for profit organization that was founded in 1877 and has grown to provide New York's inner-city children a vacation with either host families in 13 states and Canada or a Fresh Air Fund camp. Every year 3,000 children experience a two-week outdoor adventure on one of five camps on Sharpe Reservation's 2,300 acre facility surrounded by lakes, ponds, streams and hiking trails located in the Hudson Highlands near Fishkill, NY.

Read "Fresh Air Fund gets ‘Precious’ gift in Fishkill" by the Poughkeepsie Journal.