Wave Makers: A Plan to Keep New York City’s Children Safe in the Water is a collaboration among the Gray Foundation, the offices of New York City Council Member Julie Menin and Council Member Shekar Krishnan, and Asphalt Green’s Safe Swim NYC initiative. This innovative partnership will address the structural inequities affecting access to swim instruction by providing free, comprehensive swimming lessons to second graders across New York City, regardless of their socio-economic background.

The Wave Makers pilot program will demonstrate the most effective, efficient, outcome-driven pathways to large-scale free swim instruction for children in New York City. This initiative hopes to empower the next generation of New Yorkers with the skills and knowledge they need to enjoy the water safely and build a foundation for a lifetime of healthy activity.