The Pool & Hot Tub Foundation is participating in December 3rd’s #GivingTuesday with a campaign to drive donations to its Step Into Swim program. #GivingTuesday is an event held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving that encourages charitable giving to philanthropic causes.
On #GivingTuesday, PHTF’s goal is to raise $30,000 for Step Into Swim in order to provide 1,000 children with swim lessons. One donation of $30 covers the cost of one child’s full water safety skills course. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, formal swimming lessons reduce the likelihood of drowning by 88 percent.
Step Into Swim launched in 2012 with a mission to create one million more swimmers in 10 years. The mission is based on the premise that creating more swimmers will result in fewer drownings, a healthier society, reduced healthcare costs and a thriving industry. Step Into Swim is especially dedicated to giving the vital life skill – swimming – to children of all ethnicities and economic backgrounds.
“We want to transform people’s lives by helping provide access to swim lessons,” says PHTA president and CEO, Sabeena Hickman, CAE. “There’s not a charitable initiative our industry should be focusing on more than teaching children to swim. Not only does this equip the individual with valuable skills, but it also helps strengthen our industry.”
“The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance has been a key partner in allowing us to provide a new Swim for Safety Program for Cincinnati Public Schools,” says Brent Langhorne, elementary athletics coordinator for Cincinnati Public Schools Athletic Department. “In partnership with the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati and the Bill Kent Foundation, this program has provided important swim safety lessons to students free of charge.”
In 2018, Step Into Swim facilitated swim lessons for more than 34,000 children. To learn more about the program and how to participate in #GivingTuesday, visit stepintoswim.org.
