The Florida Swims Foundation and Every Child A Swimmer (ECAS) renewed their partnership to provide swim lessons to children throughout the state of Florida.
The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in February 2023 signifying the commitment of both entities to work together to teach children to swim. The collective goals of this collaboration are to prevent drowning incidents, raise awareness about water safety, and fund swim lessons for children in underserved communities.
“The partnership between the Florida Swims Foundation and Every Child A Swimmer is one that shows just how committed both of our organizations are to ensuring that children all over the state receive life-saving swim lessons free of cost,” says Ben Evans, president of the Florida Swims Foundation. “Together, our impact on the swimming literacy of our communities will make Florida and its children more resilient.”
Funds are donated through the Florida Swims Foundation and sent to Every Child A Swimmer for a 100% donation match. Once the donations are received, ECAS allocates funds to vetted swim lesson providers throughout the state.
“It is crucial to us that every child in the state of Florida become a swimmer,” says Casey McGovern, program manager of Every Child a Swimmer. “It is vital in a state surrounded by water that our children continue to grow and learn in the water as well as on land to keep them not only safe, but also well-rounded.”
Since its inception, the Florida Swims Foundation has contributed more than $260,000 to providing swim lessons throughout Florida communities. The Foundation is the 501(c)(3) arm of the Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA), a trade association for Florida’s pool and spa industry that currently holds 750 members across 16 chapters.
“It is an essential part of the Florida Swimming Pool Association’s values to provide health and safety information to all pool builders, operators, and most importantly, users,” says Elizabeth McMurray, executive director of the Florida Swimming Pool Association. “We are thrilled that the Foundation and ECAS are able to continue this fruitful partnership and make a positive impact across our state.”
In 2022 alone, Every Child A Swimmer awarded $550,000 to provide swim lessons to children from low-income families. ECAS is the fundraising arm of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF), whose mission is to ensure that every child in the world is educated and trained in water safety.
Those interested in donating to the partnership should contact the Florida Swims Foundation by calling (941) 952-9293 or by visiting FloridaSwims.org. All funds donated through the Foundation will be matched by Every Child A Swimmer to then be allocated to vetted swim lesson providers throughout the state.
