By Kaitlin Krause | Founder - Executive Director
Summer is here, and we’ve hit the ground running!
Our programs are in full swing, and the start of the season has already been packed with meaningful milestones. In May, our Founder and Executive Director, Kaitlin Krause, had the honor of helping kick off beach season at New York City Parks' Beach Opening and was featured on Spectrum NY1 News alongside Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, raising awareness about rip currents and the importance of water safety education for all New Yorkers.
Over Memorial Day weekend, we launched "Water Wise," our ongoing public safety education campaign. The first iteration focuses on rip current awareness, bringing the lifesaving knowledge directly into the heart of all communities.
In early June, we hosted our Summer Kickoff Fundraiser, bringing together friends, partners, and community members in support of our mission. Thanks to you, we raised vital funds that are already at work, supporting swimming lessons, junior lifeguard training, and water safety education outreach across the city. We also hosted a powerful panel discussion in Coney Island on reclaiming our relationship to water, bringing together community leaders, experts, and advocates to explore water as a source of healing, justice, and belonging.
Continuing with our land-based water safety education, in one unforgettable morning, we partnered with a mermaid to deliver engaging, culturally and geographically relevant water safety education to the entire student body at P.S. 317—reaching over 500 students with life saving knowledge through storytelling, visual engagement, and joy.
In the pool, we completed our second year of in-school swim instruction, teaching another 100 third graders from P.S. 9 Sarah Smith Garnet School. We’re thrilled to continue this work in the upcoming school year, with another 100 students slated to participate.
We’ve also resumed lessons at The Rockaway Hotel and Ocean Park Apartments, and we’re proud to have welcomed another 100-participant cohort of Swim Corps—our transformative program that empowers young people to earn while they learn, build swim skills, engage in water-based activities, and explore career pathways in the local blue economy.
On City of Water Day, we popped up at Canarsie Pier and the Rockaway Boardwalk concessions, engaging the public with games, giveaways, and vital water safety education to help community members stay safe while enjoying the shoreline.
Our programs are still unfolding, and we can’t wait to share a deeper look at the impact once the season wraps.
Thank you for making this work possible.
Your continued support helps us keep New York safe—lifting all, expanding access, and building a safer future for everyone.
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