Summer fun is right around the corner — and so are all the family-fun water activities! May is Safety Around Water Month. Whether planning a vacation to the beach, weekends at the pool, or beautiful hikes with swimming spots along the way, the Y wants to make sure our community is ready for a fun and safe summer.   

Make 2022 the best summer yet by ensuring children are safe around water and have the skills to prevent drownings. According to the CDC, drowning is a leading cause of preventable death among children ages 1 to 4 and is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14, in the U.S. These troubling statistics are more likely to impact children of color. In fact, 60 percent of Black children and 45 percent of Latinx children do not know how to swim, compared to 40 percent of White children.  

To combat this epidemic, the YMCA of Greater Seattle is partnering with Gabrielle's Wings, No More Under,  and volunteers, donors, and community partners to ensure that every child has access to lifelong waterside memories. By providing swimming lesson grants to BIPOC and other marginalized families, including parents and guardians, we close the opportunity gap and create access for all.  

During May, find safety around water events at participating branches, take a moment to share the importance of SAW.

Thank you to those who were able to join us at our special SAW fundraising event at the Wonder of Women Gallery. 

At this event, guests, donors, volunteers, and sponsors helped create new, fun, and stress-free aquatic experiences for future generations with life-saving initiatives like Safety Around Water. Thank you for helping build access to water safety and swimming programs for BIPOC and underserved youth and families. We hope that the words from our guest speaker, founder of Gabrielle's Wings, and author of "The Other Side of Yet," Michelle D. Hord inspired you. 

A special thank you, to WOW Gallery Experience for hosting this event in their striking and inspiring place.

Weren't able to attend? Donate $150 or more to help give access to water safety programs to at least two young people.

Upcoming Events

A.K. Guy

Save the Date - September 28, 2022

Join us to celebrate the YMCA of Greater Seattle’s 34th A.K. Guy Award Event, this September 28, 2022 at the Seattle Art Museum.

Gather with volunteers, Y staff, incredible partners, and a community of changemakers to recognize the exceptional people in our corner of the world who through their work and example help lift, inspire, and support community.

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Resources

As community works toward making equitable change, the Y would like to hold space for advocacy by providing resources and information so we can grow and heal in community.

Retention of Black People in Seattle

"Why hasn’t the Black population kept pace with the overall growth rate in the 2010s? There’s more than one reason, but without question, economic inequality plays a key role." - The Seattle Times

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Black-Owned Businesses in Greater Seattle Area

Support local Black-Owned businesses with Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle's business directory.

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