To help swim lesson providers nationwide offer lessons to children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them, the USA Swimming Foundation has awarded more than $330,000 through its 2016 Make a Splash grant program. Since 2007 the Foundation has given more than $4 million dollars to help fund learn-to-swim programs across the country.
Through Make a Splash funding this year, more than 20,000 children will be served through grants provided to 52 Make a Splash Local Partners across 23 states. Over the last nine years, almost four million children have received formalized swim instruction through Make a Splash local partners.
“Our goal is to teach one million children to swim annually by 2017 and this year’s distributions will provide swim lessons at reduced or no cost for more children than ever before,” says Debbie Hesse, Executive Director of the USA Swimming Foundation. “Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent so through the teamwork of the USA Swimming Foundation and our local partners we’re saving lives of today’s children and many more in future generations.”
Make a Splash Local Partners such as the Akron YMCA (Ohio), Treasure Family YMCA (Idaho), Monterey County Aquatic Team/SwimAmerica (California), Harris County (Texas) and City of Detroit Parks and Recreation (Michigan) will each serve lessons to over 1,000 children through their learn-to-swim programs.
The USA Swimming Foundation awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. This year, the Foundation received more than 150 applications and awarded 52 grants totaling $337,017 to help fund learn-to-swim programs across the country. There are approximately 750 Make a Splash Local Partners who promote water safety education in their communities and provide scholarships for children to participate in their swim lesson programs.
The 2016 USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Grant Recipients are:
● Cincinnati Recreation Commission (Ohio)
● NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation Swim for Life Program (New York)
● Copley-Price Family YMCA (California)
● City of Jersey City – Department of Recreation (New Jersey)
● City of Detroit Parks and Recreation (Michigan)
● City of Newark, Division of Recreation (New Jersey)
● Greater Houston YMCA (Texas)
● Harris County (Texas)
● 5 Cities Swim School (California)
● Little Fishes Swim School (Missouri)
● Akron YMCA (Ohio)
● Lawrence YMCA (Massachusetts)
● YWCA Tulsa (Oklahoma)
● HYCAT at Charleston Inc. Swimming Program (West Virginia)
● Monterey County Aquatic Team/SwimAmerica (California)
● Pacific Coast Marlins Learn to Swim (California)
● Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley (Tennessee)
● Fort Worth Drowning Prevention Coalition (Texas)
● YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago – South Side (Illinois)
● The Gift of Swimming (Florida)
● Muskegon YMCA (Michigan)
● The Roeper School (Michigan)
● Waycross YMCA (Georgia)
● Treasure Valley Family YMCA (Idaho)
● Belle Chasse YMCA (Louisiana)
● Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito (California)
● Duluth Area Family YMCA (Minnesota)
● Peninsula Family YMCA (California)
● SwimRVA (Virginia)
● YWCA Evanston North Shore (Illinois)
● YMCA of Broome County (New York)
● DeKalb Aquatics Swim Team Inc. (Georgia)
● YMCA of Broome County West Family Branch (New York)
● Buffalo City Swim Racers (New York)
● Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA – Vineland (New Jersey)
● YMCA of Garfield (New Jersey)
● Canton City Schools (Ohio)
● City of Spokane (Washington)
● City of Urbandale (Iowa)
● City of San Diego Park and Recreation Dept. (California)
● Derby Recreation Commission – Unsinkables Program (Kansas)
● City of Gunnison Parks and Recreation (Colorado)
● Irving Independent School District – Swim Safe (Texas)
● Montrose Recreation District – Montrose Aquatics Center (Colorado)
● District 196 Community Education Aquatics Program (Minnesota)
● Holland Community Aquatic Center (Michigan)
● City of Boynton Beach (Florida)
● City of Alexandria Potomac Marlins USA Swim Team (Virginia)
● City of El Cajon-Fletcher Hills Pool (California)
● Chatham County Aquatic Center (Georgia)
● Bridgeport YMCA (Connecticut)
● City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks (California)
For more information on Make a Splash Local Partner Grant Opportunities, visit: http://goo.gl/TX3qj8
About the USA Swimming Foundation
The USA Swimming Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming. Established in 2004, the Foundation works to strengthen the sport by saving lives and building champions— in the pool and in life. Whether we’re equipping our children with the life-saving skill of learn-to-swim through our Make a Splash initiative, or providing financial support to our heroes on the U.S. National Team, the USA Swimming Foundation aims to provide the wonderful experience of swimming to kids at all levels across the country. To learn more, visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org.
About the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative
The USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative is a national child-focused water safety campaign, which aims to provide the opportunity for every child in America to learn to swim. Through Make a Splash, the USA Swimming Foundation partners with learn-to-swim providers and water safety advocates across the country to provide swimming lessons and educate children and their families on the importance of learning how to swim. The USA Swimming Foundation has invested millions of dollars to provide grants to qualified Local Partner learn-to-swim programs, to spread national awareness, and to bring together strategic partners to end drowning. To date, four million children have received the lifesaving gift of swim lessons through the USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Local Partner network, comprised of more than 750 qualified lesson providers across the nation. To learn more, visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org/makeasplash.
Swimming News press release is courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation.
