Colorado Springs, Co — In response to the statistic that nine people drown each day in the United States, the YMCA of the USA and the USA Swimming Foundation recently partnered to provide free/low-cost swim lessons for at-risk children who are enrolled in the free or reduced-cost lunch program at schools in participating cities. The partnership is a local implementation of Make a Splash, the USA Swimming Foundation's national anti-drowning initiative. Communities involved in the collaborative education program include Raleigh-Durham, NC; San Jose, CA; Philadelphia; and most recently Omaha, NE.
The YMCA of the USA will provide the instructors and pool time, while the USA Swimming Foundation will back the program financially through its Sponsor a Swim Lesson program.