Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation

Tragically, this summer has already been marred by news of young lives lost due to drownings. According to a recent report from the CDC, more than 15% of U.S. adults do not know how to swim. In The Bronx, this number is closer to 30%, possibly higher in communities of color. This disparity is often due to a lack of access to affordable swim lessons and water safety education. Thank you to Stew Leonard Jr. of Stew Leonard's Farm Fresh Food and Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation for joining BronxWorks CEO Eileen Torres in calling for investment in accessible swim safety classes for NYC residents. Read the full editorial here: https://lnkd.in/eyGeX4e9

☀ Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday at Black Rock State Park, for an outstanding turnout around a critical topic, water safety. We were thrilled for such a strong turnout from CT's media outlets for making the trip to cover this important and timely event. A special thank you to our speakers who joined DEEP Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumble, including Stew Leonard, Jr. from the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, James ORourke from the Greater Waterbury YMCA, and Sarah Battistini, Water Safety Coordinator from the State Parks Division of the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Water safety is so important, especially as we approach the busy July Fourth Weekend. Every year, tragic and preventable accidents occur in swimming pools, lakes, rivers, and on our shorelines. Learning to swim and following safety guidelines can save lives.    Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, but it is preventable. Children who receive swim lessons are 88% less likely to drown. 🏊♀️ Swim Lesson Initiatives: DEEP has partnered with the CT YMCA's , BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF NEW BRITAIN, INC., and Connecticut Institute For Communities, Inc. (CIFC) to offer free swim lessons to qualifying children in Connecticut. Funded by over $1 million from Governor Ned Lamont's Administration and Connecticut Legislature using #ARPA funds. 🔹YMCA of Greater Waterbury: Administers a program with 14 YMCAs in Connecticut, providing over 3,900 lessons to 3,229 participants. 🔹Boys and Girls Club of New Britain: Provided lessons to 608 children in New Britain, Hartford, and Meriden. 🔹Connecticut Institute for Communities: Provided lessons to 420 participants in the greater Danbury area as of June 2024. Overall Impact: The three programs have had 4,257 participants and held nearly 5,000 lessons, with all partners continuing to provide swim lessons to eligible participants. Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation has raised over $6 million since its founding in 1990, supporting 250,000 free and low-cost swim lessons and training thousands of lifeguards in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. In Connecticut, it supports 18 learn-to-swim programs that will teach over 1,500 local children to swim this year. The Stewie the Duck Swim School gives away 10,000 lessons annually, with all proceeds going towards free swim lessons for children in need. Stay safe and enjoy the water this summer! For more on this event and on all free lessons that have occurred throughout the state thanks to these partners, read the press release. https://lnkd.in/emG_zV8a #WaterSafety #SwimLessons #CTStateParks #SafeSwimming

It's not too late to register for tomorrow's event in Stamford, CT! Get your free ticket here: https://lnkd.in/g9cFP57u We hope to see you there! 💙

Sarah Caro, our Director of Charitable Giving, is excited to be gearing up to speak alongside esteemed business leaders at Network Effect: Stamford hosted by 3BL. Join us at Webster Bank Offices on May 21, for a morning of collaborative discussion — from empowering communities through partnership to shared insights on #purpose and #socialimpact, and more! ⚡️Don’t miss out, secure your spot today: https://lnkd.in/g9cFP57u

Meet Tati. She learned to swim a few summers ago while attending camp at Horizons at Norwalk Community College, one of our grantees. Horizons at NCC serves low-income students from Norwalk, CT, most of whom start the program with zero swimming skills and are at higher risk for drowning. This summer, Tati moved on to help the Horizons campers learn to swim! This #Givingtuesday, your donation will help support kids like Tati foster a love of swimming who may otherwise not have access to lessons. Click this link to donate: https://bit.ly/3surk0O   Thank you for your support! 💙💛    #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #stewietheduck #stewietheduckswimschool #notonemore #notonemoredrowning

Meet Rachel. She learned to swim during lessons she received while an Oasis camper at Wykoff Family YMCA, one of the programs we fund thanks to the generosity of our donors. The Oasis Camp serves inner city children from NJ, most of whom don't know how to swim and are at higher risk for drowning. This year, Rachel became a certified lifeguard who helped supervise the Oasis campers during their lessons. Amazing! This #Givingtuesday, your donation will help support children like Rachel not just learn to swim but expand their careers as well! Just $10 funds a swim lesson for child in need. Click this link to donate: https://bit.ly/3surk0O Thank you for your support! 💙💛 @Wyckoff Family YMCA #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #stewietheduck #stewietheduckswimschool #notonemore #notonemoredrowning

Our amazing Stewie the Duck Swim School team got in on the #GivingTuesday fun by doing #unselfies about why they give back. Join them in supporting our water safety programs! Just $10 funds a swim lesson for a child in need. Click this link to give today: https://bit.ly/3surk0O Thank you for your support! Drowning is preventable!

It's #GivingTuesday! Help us change lives! Just $10 funds a swim lesson for a child in need. Stew and Kim Leonard are matching all GivingTuesday donations so you DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! Click this link to help a child learn lifesaving swimming skills! Thank you! https://bit.ly/3surk0O

Tomorrow is GivingTuesday but you don't have to wait to participate! Give today and Stew and Kim Leonard will match your donation - DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! Your gift will support swim lessons at amazing organizations like Horizons Greens Farms Academy, which serves low-income students from Bridgeport, CT. This past summer, their students went from being fearful of the water to swimming on their own and proclaiming swimming as their favorite camp activity! Together, we can help more children learn lifesaving water skills! Please click this link to donate: https://bit.ly/4g0r4+ Thank you! #stewietheduck stewietheduckswimschool #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #notonemore #notonemoredrowning

Check out this video from Stew Leonard, Jr. and members of the Leonard Family for GivingTuesday, which is this Tuesday, Nov. 28th. Kim and Stew Leonard are generously matching all donations made to the foundation for #GivingTuesday. Help us reach our goal of raising $20,000 for free and low-cost swim lessons for children in need. You don't have to wait until Tuesday to give! Click this link to donate and DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! https://lnkd.in/e2QyJ3PC Just $10 funds a swim lesson. Thank you for your support - drowning is preventable! https://lnkd.in/eifBV-6m #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #notonemore #notonemoredrowning #stewietheduck #stewietheduckswimschool #poolsafely