City expanding access to free swimming lessons for students across New York City
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Elected officials are expanding access to a life-saving initiative that teaches kids to swim in New York City.
The Wave Makers Initiative aims to bring water safety instruction to children in under-served communities -- free of charge.
On Tuesday morning, City Council Speaker Julie Menin and other local leaders announced $1.5 million in new funding in the Bronx.
According to the CDC, drowning is the second-leading cause of death in kids ages 5-14.
The program has already taught 6,000 public school second-graders across the five boroughs how to swim with more than 58,500 swim lessons.
"The success of the Wave Makers Pilot we launched proves what's possible through public-private partnerships, improved coordination of existing city assets, and alignment with non-profit community organizations across the five boroughs," Menin said. "That is how we ensure every New York City child feels confident and safe in the water, at no cost to families."
To get your kids signed up, you can go to asphaltgreen.org and look at Wave Makers.
New York City public pools also teach swim lessons for free and have done so for 88 years.
Officials say more than one out of four children in the city do not know how to swim.
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Download our connected TV app
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
