Goldfish Swim School Awarded National Grant from the USA Swimming Foundation

Troy, MI – Goldfish Swim School, a leading premier learn-to-swim concept, has been awarded grant funding by the USA Swimming Foundation as part of the 2020 program for its Make a Splash local partners. The grant was awarded to three deserving local Goldfish Swim Schools in Dayton and Clarkston, MI to Make Waves. Give Back. Save Lives. The grant money will be spent on developing programs to provide community members with the opportunity to learn to swim.

As a philanthropic effort on the part of USA Swimming Foundation, the Make a Splash initiative supports swim lesson providers with resources, materials and grant funding to allow the opportunity for every child across the country to learn how to swim. The foundation received its largest number of grant applications to date, vetting more than 270 applicants through a competitive review process. The organization ultimately selected 60 swim lesson providers to receive funding, two of which were awarded to Goldfish Swim School.

As part of the application, each swim school was to outline their proposed plans for the grant money, which determined the amount they were awarded. Each Goldfish Swim School is partnering with non-profits, elementary schools and organizations to push their community-focused water safety initiatives forward:

  • Goldfish Swim School – Dayton will provide three-month swim lesson packages to 30 children from local elementary schools, Preschool Promise in Montgomery County and the Dayton Children’s Hospital. In addition to the lessons, children and their families will receive waived membership fees, free family swims, and a Goldfish Swim School swim pack – complete with a waterproof swim bag, a pair of goggles, a towel and t-shirts.
  • Goldfish Swim School – Clarkston will provide 20 children from nearby elementary schools with swim lessons over a two-month time period, or the equivalent in Jump Start Clinics, which provide a well-rounded swim lesson curriculum in a shorter time span.

“Our mission at Goldfish Swim School is to ensure all kids feel safe and confident in and around the water, and this grant propels our efforts, allowing us to provide free swim lessons to children in these communities who may not have the opportunity otherwise,” said Chris McCuiston, co-founder of Goldfish Swim School. “Accidental drowning continues to be the leading cause of death for children under the age of four, and this grant will get us one step closer to our goal of reducing that number and spreading the ever-important message of water safety.”

The USA Swimming Foundation joined by its network of 1,000 swim lesson providers across the country are helping to spread national awareness on the importance of learning to swim and bringing together strategic partners to end drowning. More than 7.5 million children have now been served by this initiative since 2007.

“Both of these locations are going to use their grant to teach children skills that they will use for the rest of their lives,” said Ryan Murphy, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Goldfish Swim School brand ambassador. “Our goal is to combat the drowning epidemic, and the best way to do that is through partnerships that allow us to make a difference in our communities – which, for us, means equipping children with the skills they need to feel confident and safe in and around the water.”

About Goldfish Swim School

Founded by husband and wife team Chris and Jenny McCuiston, Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children ages four months to 12 years. Classes are offered by specially trained instructors in a safe, child-friendly and fun environment using their research-based philosophy called The Science of SwimPlay®. Goldfish currently teaches more than 138,000 students per week to swim and be safer in and around the water. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, Goldfish Swim School was established in Birmingham, Michigan in 2006, and opened its first franchise location in 2009. Recently, the brand was recognized by Entrepreneur in its Franchise 500® ranking, Franchise Times’ 2020 Fast & Serious List, and Inc. Magazine’s 2019 Top 5000. Goldfish Swim School is currently in the process of expanding franchise opportunities throughout North America, with more than 100 schools open, and an additional 100+ in development in more than 34 states and Canada.

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