Parents in Michigan know how much water shapes life in the state. With more than 11,000 lakes across the state — four of which are Great Lakes — water safety and swim lessons are essential for kids.
The YMCA of Metro Detroit’s Detroit Swims program has been making learning to swim accessible to every child in metro Detroit for the last 10 years. They offer kids ages 5-17 free swim lessons, water safety training and also supply every student with all the gear they need — swimsuits, towels, goggles and swim bags included!
This year, the program is getting a major boost through the Government Employees Health Association, which will fund lessons for an additional 400 local kids.
Why this program matters
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning rates disproportionately affect Black youth, and in cities like Detroit that are right on the water, many kids grow up without access to affordable swim lessons.
Ten years ago, two lifeguards working at the Boll Family YMCA in metro Detroit noticed this problem and discovered that seven in 10 children in Detroit didn’t know how to swim. They decided to start offering free swim lessons by scrapping together money from their own paychecks. Since then, Detroit Swims has taught 5,800 local students the skills they need to be safe in and around the water.
How to get involved
To enroll your child in Detroit Swims, visit the Metro Detroit YMCA website or your local YMCA branch to complete the qualifying enrollment forms and find more information about class times. Classes often fill quickly so be sure to stay connected to your local branch via social media or email newsletter.
If your family does not meet the income requirements to enroll in Detroit Swims classes, the Metro Detroit YMCA also offers affordable learn-to-swim classes. If you don’t have any kiddos that need swim lessons but want to support Detroit Swims, they are always searching for volunteers or donations to keep the program running.
