As the Memorial Day holiday approaches and pools throughout the country continue to open for the upcoming swim season, POOLCORP is expanding its partnership with the YMCA to help children learn life-saving swimming skills and ensure lifeguards have adequate training to keep children and adults safe in and around the pool and other bodies of water.
With over 70% of the Earth’s landscape covered in water — including swimming pools — blue spaces represent both the opportunity for a positive experience and lifestyle, as well as a risk for those who have not yet developed necessary swimming skills. In addition, research shows that some communities are more at risk than others with more than three-fourths of households with annual income of $50,000 or less having few-to-no swimming skills.
Since 2021 and through an expanded partnership this year, POOLCORP and participating YMCAs are committed to reversing that statistic. POOLCORP, a leading global wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies and outdoor living products, has donated more than $4 million to YMCAs throughout the United States, which has resulted in 42,000 children learning how to swim and 3,000 lifeguards receiving critical training required to ensure swim safety.
“As a leader in the swimming pool industry, POOLCORP touches nearly every pool across the country in some way, whether it’s supplying our pool builder and sub-contractor network with building materials or our pool supply and service professionals with maintenance and service products,” says Kendall Large, POOLCORP’s vice president of marketing. “And with that reach comes responsibility, which is the driving force behind our quest to ensure everyone has the chance to learn how to swim,” she added.
This year, POOLCORP added new partnerships with community YMCAs in Florida and Michigan, in addition to its existing YMCA partners throughout the sunbelt and snowbelt regions. Further, POOLCORP’s 6,000 employees and 125,000 customers also play a significant role in the program through donations of new swimsuits, towels, and other swim gear to help ensure there are no barriers keeping children and lifeguards from being able to participate in the program.
“We simply could not make the impact that we have, and continue to see, without the dedication of our incredible YMCA partners, as well as the support of our employees and customers,” says Jennifer Neil, POOLCORP’s senior vice president and chief legal officer. “Together, we are working in unison to make a positive difference in the communities where we live and work and give these children every opportunity to enjoy life in and around the water,” Neil added.
Starting this month, participating YMCAs across the country are kicking off their SWIMPACT! programs in sync with the busy swim season. “This program is incredibly meaningful,” says Kyle Kamman, associate vice president of the YMCA of South Florida, about the partnership with POOLCORP. “Together, we’re ensuring that over 1,200 kids in our area alone gain access to swimming lessons they otherwise wouldn’t have access to,” Kamman adds.
For more information about POOLCORP’s SWIMPACT! program and partnership with YMCAs, or to donate swim gear to the program participants, you can visit Swimpact (poolcorp.com).
