Human connections are formed through relationships. When humans feel connected, we nourish our emotional and physical well-being. In connecting, we also find empathy and the need to help others. When we are connected, we open our hearts and minds in an effort to spread awareness so others may not find themselves in peril. By sharing stories, we learn from (and teach) each other in order to create positive change. Hope Floats Foundation has taken this connection equation to heart, and is proud to announce the Hope Floats National Ambassador Program.
Hope Floats believes by sharing true stories of triumph, and/or stories of children who may have been saved by swim lessons, others will be inspired to embrace our mission and more likely to play an active role in saving lives. The National Ambassador will be instrumental in promoting Hope Floats; and will help people realize the importance of providing swim lesson scholarships to those in need. It is our hope and belief that the personal stories shared by individuals who have been touched by accidental drowning, or near drowning incidents, will educate and inspire others. And in doing so, we will save more lives together.
Many national non-profit organizations have used this model with great success. Mission Ambassadors encourage others to participate in the program(s) offered by the non-profit and help to recruit new volunteers. They also increase awareness and reach, thus helping to raise much needed funding. Ambassadors create connections. One person’s story IS another’s inspiration.
The Hope Floats National Ambassador, and his/her family, will be one who has been positively impacted directly by the work of Hope Floats through our scholarship program, or driven to support the Foundation because of a deep connection to our mission. An Ambassador may be a child who had the opportunity to learn to swim because of a scholarship; or a “survivor” of a drowning incident whose family, in the most difficult way, came to realize the importance of swimming lessons and how they do indeed save lives.
The National Ambassador may be nominated by any Hope Floats swim school partner, or may be nominated by a Hope Floats Board Member and will be voted upon by our Board of Directors. Additionally, a family not involved with a Swim School Partner may nominate themselves or be nominated by a friend or community member. All prospective Ambassadors must complete an application prior to consideration. Ambassadors will be chosen annually and will serve a term of one year beginning in May 2021, National Swim Safety Month, and ending the following April. In the future, Hope Floats swim school partners will have the opportunity to lift up local Community Ambassadors to give voice to each of their communities.
We are excited about this program and look forward to working with our Ambassadors to ensure we reach as many children as possible with the lifesaving gift of swimming. We have already secured our very first Hope Floats National Ambassador, and will be introducing this person and their story next month. Stay tuned!
For more information regarding the Hope Floats Ambassador Program, please email us at info@hopefloats.foundation.
Written by: Stef Baker, Hope Floats Partner Liaison