The holiday season is here, and we are getting in the mood of gratitude by reflecting on the many aquatics organizations that we follow and have worked with to (hopefully) inspire some support this Giving Tuesday. #GivingTuesday

Before diving into the charities, let’s look at some of the ways you can support them on Giving Tuesday and year-round (and without having to make a direct donation).

1. Share this post to raise awareness.
2. Follow the non-profits that speak to you on social media.
3. Like, save, & share their posts throughout the year.
4. Do you use Amazon? Consider updating your amazon.com/smile charity, and Amazon will donate a percentage of all of your annual purchases to them near the end of the year.
5. Organize a fun run with friends to raise money.
6. Does your company make charitable donations? Suggest they consider an aquatics organization that aligns with your company’s values.
7. Volunteer

Some suggestions for Giving Tuesday charities:

Mission: Drowning Prevention & Water Safety

If your focus is on Drowning Prevention and Water Safety, Drennan's Dreams Foundation and Swim On are two wonderful organizations to donate to this Giving Tuesday. Both strive to impact communities through education and awareness to reduce drownings. #GivingTuesday

• Drennan's Dreams Foundation: Working with many private and nonprofit organizations with pools, water parks, and waterfronts to reinforce accountability standards and to ensure that lifeguards know how to implement their training. Drennen’s Dreams Foundation is on a mission to help lifeguards understand what is truly at stake while they are on duty- the lives of others by teaching and training lifeguards and aquatics professionals, equipping and supporting managers and owners to maintain the highest safety standards.
• Swim On: SWIM ON Foundation (Safer Waters In Memory Of Nicholas) was established in 2019 to raise awareness about drowning and about the ways to prevent it through the promotion of making swimming safer with swim lessons, education on the importance of adult supervision of children, proper use of fencing, pool covers and alarms, emergency preparedness, and regulation swim vests.

Mission: Diversity

The Aquatics Industry has struggled with diversity and access to public swimming pools, learn-to-swim lessons, and water safety training. Swim Up Hill and Evolutionary Aquatics both focus on providing resources and removing barriers to entry for communities across America. Consider donating or getting involved this Giving Tuesday!

• Swim Up Hill: Providing specialized swim education tailored to the specific needs of low-to-middle-income communities that continue to be affected by disproportionately high drowning rates. Historically this gap in service has primarily attempted to be filled by other organizations through cost-reduced swim lessons, but these communities continue to suffer year after year because the problems they face are founded on generational trauma and a consistent lack of access to communal water features. Swim Up Hill uniquely fills this gap through aqua-phobic-specific trauma healing techniques and a home-based learn-to-swim curriculum that involves parents in the education process and does not require a pool to build basic swimming skills.
• Evolutionary Aquatics: Supports and promotes activities in, on, and around water for Black and Indigenous cultures, using education to encourage these communities to reclaim their aquatic heritage.

Mission: Mental Health

• Michael Phelps Foundation: Along with a coalition of strategic partners, the Foundation has provided a learn-to-swim, healthy living, and goal-setting curriculum to more than 200,000 people worldwide through the Boys and Girls Club of America and Special Olympics International. Good mental health is just as important as good physical health, which is why there is also a strong emphasis on building kids’ inner strength through emotional health lessons for educators and parents, a video series for children made in partnership with Nemours Children’s Health, and a continually updated database of mental health resources. #GivingTuesday

Mission: Strengthening the Sport of Swimming

• USA Swimming Foundation: Whether equipping children or adults with the life-saving skill of learn-to-swim or providing financial support to USA Swimming member clubs and heroes on the U.S. National Team, the USA Swimming Foundation aims to strengthen the sport of swimming and provide the experience of swimming to kids at all levels across the country.

Mission: Disability

• Lifewaters: Specializes in SCUBA diving training for disabled individuals (veterans, civilians, first responders). Any individual with a VA disability or civilian diagnosed with: Spinal Cord Injuries, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Amputees, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, and Multiple Traumas and other disabilities may be involved in their scuba training program with diving skills that are adapted for each disabled diver. #GivingTuesday

Additional charities that we love are:

• Swim 4 Elise
• Colin’s Hope
• International Water Safety Foundation
• National Drowning Prevention Alliance
• Diversity in Aquatics

There are also a lot of great local and regional charities that your local Parks & Recreation Department may be able to connect you to. And most importantly, the best way to contribute locally may be to learn some basic water rescue techniques and warning signs to look out for to become a responsible citizen in your own community and possibly save a life! #GivingTuesday

Are you looking for other Aquatic Resources?
Check out our Blog Page for a complete list of posts!