
Feature Story
June 2018
Make a Splash Campaign Teaches Millions to Swim
Recent Rec Report Feature Stories
Communities Can Earn Grants for Dog Park Development - June 2018
National Golf Day Celebrates Green Practices - May 2018
YMCA Recognized for Diversity - May 2018
Americans Support Pollinator Health, And Parks Can Help - May 2018
How to Encourage Play—Everywhere! - April 2018
Partnership, Grants to Boost Mountain Bike Trail Development - April 2018
Parks & Recreation Supports More Than 1.1 Million Jobs - April 2018
Club Pilates Grows With New Training Facility - April 2018
IHRSA Sees Positive Growth for Fitness Pros - April 2018
Denver's Freedom Park Wins Grant for Public Art - March 2018
NSPF, Counsilman-Hunsaker Partner to Create App for Aquatic Facility Managers - March 2018
More Than 330 Million Recreation Visits Recorded in 2017 for National Park System - March 2018
Study Shows Economic Benefits of the Great Outdoors - March 2018
Parks for Inclusion Initiative Aims to Expand Reach to All Americans - February 2018
SHAPE America, NFL & Partners Collaborate on Training for Health & P.E. Educators - February 2018
CPSC Offers $1.1 Million in Pool Safely Grants - February 2018
Bipartisan PHIT Act Could Boost America's Wellness - February 2018
China Plant Shutdowns May Affect Pool Operations & Budgets - January 2018
Arlington County 'Pulls Together' to Remove Invasive Plants - January 2018
Youth Sports Participation Increases for Underserved Kids - January 2018
Study: Physical Activity Boosts Learning Time - January 2018
Preventing Germs in Gyms: What Works? - December 2017
Study: Laws Reduce Recurrent Concussions - December 2017
Grants Awarded for Urban Water & Wildlife Habitat Restoration - December 2017
APSP University Launches New Certification Course - November 2017
New Series Aims to Empower Students With Healthy Habits - November 2017
US Club Soccer Puts Focus on Player Safety - November 2017
New Initiative Aims to Ensure All Have Access to Parks & Rec - November 2017
L.A. Parks Earn Mostly Positive Report Card - October 2017
Health Club Memberships Up, Led by Youth & Older Adults - October 2017
Dallas Park Recognized With ASLA Award - October 2017
Adult Obesity Rates Leveling Off - October 2017
Improving Kids' Wellness—In the Classroom - October 2017
Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway Development Continues - September 2017
Louisville Splash 'n' Dash 5K Raises $35,000+ for Norton Children's Hospital - September 2017
Philadelphia Eagles Go Green - September 2017
High School Sports Participation Up, Nearing 8 Million - September 2017
Inside South Side High School's Redevelopment - August 2017
New Health Research Conducted at Special Olympics - August 2017
Protect Players From Heat - August 2017
Tackling the Active Play Deficit - August 2017
Botanical Garden Partners With Businesses on Health - July 2017
Survey Examines Parents' View of Play - July 2017
Kids Swim Free in Tucson This Summer - July 2017
Building Communities to Encourage Physical Activity - June 2017
California Campus Converts Courts to Golf Practice Space - June 2017
Where Are the Nation's Top City Park Systems? - June 2017
By Dave Ramont
The USA Swimming Foundation, established in 2004, is the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, working to “strengthen the sport of swimming by raising funds to support programs that save lives and build champions, in the pool and in life.” One way they’re doing this is through their Make a Splash initiative, which aims to provide the opportunity for every child in America to learn to swim, regardless of race, gender or financial circumstance. The foundation partners with learn-to-swim providers, community-based water safety advocates and national organizations to provide swimming lessons and educate children, parents and communities on the importance of learning how to swim.
And recently, the USA Swimming Foundation was announced that they’d achieved their goal of providing swim lessons to 1 million children in 2017, bringing the total number of kids served to more than 6 million in the past 10 years.
Make a Splash Program Director Tina Dessart said that it’s an incredible feeling to realize that their efforts have helped a million kids in just 365 days. “While we are thrilled with this accomplishment, it fuels us to work harder to provide even more swim lessons in 2018. We want to thank the Make a Splash Local Partner swim lesson providers who made achieving this goal possible.”
Make a Splash Local Partner swim lesson providers give scholarships so that all kids can participate in their swim programs, while also promoting water safety education in their communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children younger than 5, and the second leading cause among those 14 and under. Each day in the United States, about 10 people die from drowning, and three of those are children. Some 64 percent of African-American children, 45 percent of Hispanic/Latino children and 40 percent of Caucasian children have low or no swimming ability. Additionally, 79 percent of kids in households with incomes of less than $50,000 per year have little to no swimming ability. But the CDC also says that early childhood swim lessons can reduce childhood drowning risk by 88 percent.
Since 2007, when the Make a Splash initiative began with just one Local Partner in Indiana, the program has grown to serve more than 850 partners in all 50 states. To date, the USA Swimming Foundation has provided more than $5 million in grants to Local Partners for free and reduced-cost swimming lessons nationwide. In addition to their Local Partner network, they offer other opportunities for involvement to corporate entities, nonprofit organizations, community-based water safety advocacy groups and individuals who are interested in making donations of money, time or talent.
In June, the USA Swimming Foundation embarks on their 10th annual national awareness tour, visiting cities across America to spread their lifesaving message of learn-to-swim. Sponsored by Phillips 66, the tour has visited more than 45 cities thus far. This year’s destinations include Washington, D.C., Seattle, San Francisco and Orlando, Fla.