After surpassing the 5 million-mark in 2017, the USA Swimming Foundation is pleased to announce it achieved its goal of providing swim lessons to 1 million children in 2017, bringing its total to more than 6 million children served over the past 10 years.

Through the Make a Splash initiative, the USA Swimming Foundation provides the opportunity for every child in America to learn to swim – regardless of race, gender or financial circumstances. The USA Swimming Foundation partners with learn-to-swim providers, community-based water safety advocates, and national organizations to provide swimming lessons and educate children and their families on the importance of learning how to swim.

“It’s an incredible feeling to know that our efforts have helped one million children in just 365 days,” USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Program Director Tina Dessart said. “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 all the Make a Splash Local Partner swim lesson providers who made achieving this goal possible.”

Ten people drown each day in the United States, and drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of 14. Sixty-four percent of African-American children, 45 percent of Hispanic/Latino children, and 40 percent of Caucasian children have low or no swimming ability.

Make a Splash Local Partner swim lesson providers promote water safety education in their communities and provide scholarships for children to participate in their swim lesson programs. In 2007, Make a Splash began with just one Local Partner, Carmel Swim Club in Indiana, and has since grown to serve more than 850 partners in all 50 states. Thus far, the USA Swimming Foundation has provided more than $4.5 million in grants to Make a Splash Local Partners for free and reduced-cost swimming lessons nationwide, spreading national awareness on the importance of learning to swim and bringing together strategic partners to end drowning.

As the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, the USA Swimming Foundation works to strengthen the sport of swimming by raising funds to support programs that save lives and build champions, in the pool and in life.

To find, get, or give a swim lesson visit: www.usaswimmingfoundation.org

To learn more about the USA Swimming Foundation and the Make a Splash initiative, please visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/SwimFoundation/