City of Riverside Receives 2019 Grant Funding from USA Swimming Foundation
Published: 08/29/2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2019
Contact:
Stephanie Gallegos
Marketing Supervisor
951.826.2015
City of Riverside Receives 2019 Grant Funding from
USA Swimming Foundation
Grant supports efforts to offer free or reduced-cost swim lessons
Riverside, CA – The City of Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department’s (PRCSD) Aquatics program was chosen as one of 117 Learn-to-Swim programs in the United States to receive grant funds from the USA Swimming Foundation in 2019. The awarded funds will go toward Riverside PRCSD’s Aquatics program continued efforts to provide free or reduced-cost swim lessons. This year alone, the USA Swimming Foundation awarded a total of $618,200 to programs across the country that will provide swim lessons to an estimated 32,000 children.
“We are thrilled to be chosen for this grant,” PRCSD Director Adolfo Cruz said. “The money we received will be put toward our goal of providing the Riverside community access to our world class aquatics facilities so that a lifelong relationship with health and wellness can be achieved through Riverside’s aquatics programs.”
The City of Riverside PRCSD Aquatics program operates two year-round and five seasonal aquatics facilities and hosts over 5,000 Learn-to-Swim lessons annually for youth, adults and seniors. In addition to the USA Swimming Foundation, PRCSD Aquatics works with Kaiser Permanente, the American Red Cross, and the LA84 Foundation to provide access to cost effective Learn-to-Swim lessons for participants of all ages. Lastly, PRCSD Aquatics partners with community based aquatics groups like the Riverside Aquatics Association, Riverside Aquettes, Special Olympics of Southern California, Vivian Stancil Foundation, Stop Drowning Now and Swim Brayv to enhance program delivery while highlighting water safety and drowning prevention best practices.
“It is so exciting to see the impact these funds make in the lives of these children and these communities,” USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Program Director Tina Dessart said. “We couldn’t be prouder to support these exciting and lifesaving opportunities for children across the country. We owe a tremendous thank you to our partners and donors, who continue to make a difference.” To date, 7.5 million children have received the lifesaving gift of swim lessons through the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash swim lesson-provider network, comprised of more than 1,000 qualified lesson providers across the nation. To learn more, visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org/makeasplash.
For a full list of 2019 USA Swimming Foundation grant recipients, visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org.
For more information on Riverside’s PRCSD Aquatics programs visit call 951-826-2233 or visit https://riversideca.gov/park_rec/programs-sports/aquatics/swim-lessons.
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About the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash Initiative The USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative is a national child-focused water safety campaign, which aims to provide the opportunity for every child in America to learn to swim. Through Make a Splash, the USA Swimming Foundation partners with learn-to-swim providers and water safety advocates across the country to provide swimming lessons and educate children and their families on the importance of learning how to swim. The USA Swimming Foundation has invested millions of dollars to provide grants to qualified Make a Splash Local Partner learn-to-swim programs, to spread national awareness, and to bring together strategic partners to end drowning. To date, more than 7.5 million children have received the lifesaving gift of swim lessons through the USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Local Partner network, comprised of 1,000 qualified lesson providers across the nation. To learn more, visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org/makeasplash.
