creating a world of

of confident kids

through swimming

Take Action Today!

Donate
Donate
Water Safety
Community
End Childhood Drowning
Water Safety
Community
End Childhood Drowning
Water Safety
Community
End Childhood Drowning
Water Safety
Community
End Childhood Drowning

We Are

SwemKids

SwemKids is a nonprofit program that teaches introductory swimming lessons and water safety skills to communities that experience the highest rates of drownings.

With each splash, we are giving youth the lifesaving skills to be safe in and around the water. We are also intentionally diversifying aquatics by creating opportunities for communities that have the highest rates in drownings to receive training and certifications to prepare them for careers in aquatics.

How it works
How it works

Our Impact

5+ years

Of commitment to the American Red Cross's Centennial Program

2,100+

Black youths in the Metro Atlanta area have learned how to swim

we hire

Diverse aquatics professionals from the communities we serve

Our Story

2017
2019
2020
2022
swemkids
is born
Swemkids is born

My professional background is in public health, however, my passion for educating vulnerable communities about swimming came from my own personal experience with the water. When I was a freshman in college, I almost drowned while on spring break with friends.

As I continued to progress in my career, I started to become aware that my story was not unique. Nearly 70% of Black people do not know how to swim well and unfortunately, these numbers result in drowning rates of Black children that are ten times that of white children. It became my mission to do something about these devastating statistics and SwemKids was born.

Our 5-year
anniversary
our 5-year anniversary

We at SwemKids are thrilled to celebrate our 5-year anniversary of teaching swimming to underprivileged children in our communities. For the past five years, we have been dedicated to providing access to life-saving swimming lessons to children who may not have had the opportunity otherwise. As a nonprofit, we are proud to have made a positive impact in the lives of so many children and their families.

We would like to thank our loyal partners and donators for supporting our mission and helping us to reach even more children in the future. Here's to many more years of helping children learn to swim and stay safe in the water!

moving
Outdoors
Moved Outdoors

Children in a third group had just gotten their swim bags and gear when public pools closed, and the program had to stop due to the pandemic. SwemKids has many partners, and one of them stepped up to give children another place to swim.

William Fogler and his company, Atlanta-based event design firm WM Events, are supporters of SwemKids. When Fogler learned the program stalled because of COVID, he immediately offered his backyard pool and even donated scholarships for children to keep swimming over the summer. SwemKids was able to continue because of our amazing partners!

First
Splash
First splash

SwemKids started at Dunbar Elementary School, an Atlanta city school in a low-income community. To remove barriers of cost and accessibility, SwemKids provides transportation to the pool, free eight-day lessons, and all the gear needed, including swimsuit, cap, towel and goggles.

Using nearby pools at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and a public aquatic center, two groups of children finished lessons just before the coronavirus pandemic closed everything down. Seeing those first groups of children complete their lessons is one of SwemKids proudest moments.

In 2019 founder Trish Miller also celebrates her first lap!

Hear From Our

SwemKids

Learning to

swim is a

life-saving

skill.

we want to eliminate barriers that keep children from learning how to swim.

Help us end childhood drowning.

Almost 70%

of African American children can’t swim (USA Swimming). This is due to barriers of cost, accessibility and cultural attitudes.

Drowning is

a leading cause of death for children. More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects (CDC).

Swimming Lessons

reduce the risk of drowning in 1-4 year-old children by 88% (National Library of Medicine).

Help us end childhood drowning.

Learning to

swim is a

life-saving

skill.

we want to eliminate barriers that keep children from learning how to swim.

Help us end childhood drowning.

Almost 70%

of African American children can’t swim (USA Swimming). This is due to barriers of cost, accessibility and cultural attitudes.

Drowning is

a leading cause of death for children. More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects (CDC).

Swimming Lessons

reduce the risk of drowning in 1-4 year-old children by 88% (National Library of Medicine).

Help us end
childhood drowning.

We

Our Partners

SwemKids is honored to work alongside many transformative nonprofit organizations and businesses. We work with companies, nonprofits and other organizations to address drowning prevention and swimming advocacy. Our partners contribute more than money; Their ideas, volunteer power, in-kind support and more are helping build stronger, more resilient communities.

learn more
learn more

SwemNews

Swim Skills Are
Are Life Skills
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20