Detroit Swims can teach a child to swim in a matter of weeks.
Our goal is to teach 1,500 children to swim each year that would not otherwise have the opportunity due to finances, pool access, or transportation. We partner with schools and community pools in the City of Detroit and surrounding areas to ensure that every child can be confident in and around the water.
Help Support Detroit Swims
Thank you to the Farner Family Foundation for supporting our youth water safety initiatives with their gift of one million dollars to the Detroit Swims program.
Donate to Detroit Swims
Double your impact with a matching gift from the Farner Family Foundation.
Join our Team
We are currently seeking lifeguards, swim instructors and volunteers to support our efforts. Become a lifeguard or swim instructor and receive free training and a $500 bonus.
Find Safety Around Water Sessions Near You
At the Y, swimming is a life skill. Our swim lessons prepare kids of all ages to stay safe and have fun in the water, building strong swimmers and confident kids. With skills such as, back floats, front crawl, and more. We will look for your child to comfortably and consistently perform each skill in order to progress to the next stage.
Detroit Swims – Safety Around Water – Qualifier
Detroit Swims Impact
From 2010 to right now, we’ve taught 5,800 children to swim and be safe around water.
About Detroit Swims
Each site running Swims is a little different, depending on the needs of the school and the available pool time. We offer a range of classes to meet swimmers’ needs, including:
- P.E. classes during the school day Collaborating with P.E. teachers, offering Detroit Swims curriculum, or assisting with school’s established curriculum.
- After school programs Providing swim lessons and water safety education to children from the host school, or a neighboring school (transportation provided if necessary).
- Swim lessons at apartment complexes Apartment complexes with pools on site host YMCA instructors that teach water safety lessons to children of their residents.
Detroit Swims History
Started by lifeguards at the Boll Family YMCA in 2010, Detroit Swims was created to address the alarming fact that 7 out of 10 children in Detroit cannot swim.
The first season of Detroit Swims was funded entirely by the part-time lifeguards and swim instructors at the Boll Family YMCA, who collectively gave $2,000 out of their own paychecks to teach the first 35 kids how to swim. The lesson plans were created with their input, and the first pool site was secured because one of the lifeguards still kept in touch with their former high school principal. The staff is emotionally invested in this program, and that shines through in the care and dedication the team demonstrates in the pool. Since the program’s inception, we have taught 5,800 kids to swim. We’ve formed a strong volunteer committee that helps us raise awareness, and we continue to raise funds to support more enrollment. We are breaking down barriers that prevent kids from learning to swim so that every child, regardless of their background, can be safe around water. And we aren’t stopping until every child in Metro Detroit can swim.
Every Donation to Detroit Swims Makes a Difference
Even small donations make a big splash!
Your donation will help more than 1,500 children learn to swim and be safe around the water each year. Detroit Swims is completely free for the participants, and all children are provided a new swim suit, swim cap, and goggles. The program costs around $100 per child, which covers the swimwear, part time payroll expenses, transportation, and supplies such as chlorine, towels, kick boards, and pool maintenance.
- A $50 donation will purchase a swim gear kit for one student
- A $100 donation will sponsor all of the costs for one child to learn to swim
- A $500 donation will sponsor all of the costs for five children to learn to swim
- A $1,000 donation will provide transportation for 35 children to get to and from swim lessons for 8 weeks
- A $2,500 donation will help a classroom of 24 children learn to swim and be safe around water for life
Detroit Swims Wish List
In addition to monetary donations, we always are in need of new or gently used:
- Girls one-piece and boys jammers swim suits (all sizes, youth XS – adult XXL)
- Swim Caps
- Goggles
- Rubbermaid Bins / Ikea Bags
- Cinch bags
- Gift cards for gas for our bus
Contact us for materials to promote your wish list collection project. Donations can be mailed or brought to the Boll Family YMCA, 1401 Broadway, Detroit MI 48226.
Thanks to our Supporters
The Detroit Swims Volunteer Committee
The Detroit Swims Volunteer Committee is a group of dedicated volunteers from the swimming and local Detroit community that assist with fundraising, donations, marketing, and more.
Children’s Foundation
Farner Family Foundation
Peter Vanderkaay and the Vanderkayy family
Four time Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay supports Detroit Swims as a volunteer, encouraging local swim teams to give back to support the sport of swimming.