It’s been more than four months since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the first confirmed case of the coronavirus, Covid-19, in the United States. As a nation, we have all been greatly affected by this global pandemic. Many people have lost loved ones and have suffered mental anguish with concerns surrounding the issue of personal safety.
Many of us in the swimming industry have faced financial hardships both professionally and personally. With the mandated closure of all but essential businesses in many states across the country, we have all felt the economic strain caused by Covid-19. Sadly, we have also seen an increase in drowning rates across the country over these months as parents have juggled working from home without full-time childcare. Hope Floats Foundation, founded in 2016, is a registered national non-profit organization committed to positively impacting the statistics on worldwide drowning. Hope Floats creates and fosters partnerships with swim schools across the United States to help provide scholarships for swim lessons to families in need. Currently, Hope Floats has over 180 swim school partners across 30 states.
During the last few months, the Hope Floats Foundation Board of Directors has grappled with the effect the Covid-19 Virus would have on our swim school partners and on our organization in terms of scholarship availability. With swim schools closed, and with the economic downturn, Hope Floats understands that now, more than ever, we need to truly “Swim It Forward” by ensuring the availability of scholarship funds for families in need as our partner schools reopen their doors.
The Hope Floats’ Covid-19 Scholarship Relief Fund was created in response to the current crisis, to place more scholarships into the hands of local families who otherwise could not afford swim lessons, while also helping to boost swim school enrollment as pools begin to reopen.
Over $15,000 has been designated to this fund, and each and every Hope Floats swim school partner will receive scholarship funds to provide lessons for local families in need. Additionally, Hope Floats has initiated a Covid-19 Scholarship Relief Fund public fundraising campaign to help raise awareness and boost the relief funds available. Jackrabbit Swim has kicked off the campaign with a $5,000 match that will be awarded $1 for $1.
We are in this together, and it is important that we work together to ensure these measures are a success. We ask all to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and share our social media posts to increase the amount of scholarship funds available.
Together, we will “Swim It Forward” and together we will continue to help save lives. More information regarding Hope Floats Foundation or the Hope Floats Covid-19 Scholarship Relief Fund can be found on its website: www.hopefloats.foundation.
Written by: Stef Baker, Hope Floats Partner Liaison