Photo Credit: YMCA of Greater HoustonNews
YMCA of Greater Houston Strengthens Summer Water Safety Education
As summer approaches and water activity increases, the YMCA of Greater Houston is expanding efforts to help families stay safer and feel more confident around water through drowning prevention and swim education initiatives. At the center of those efforts is the YMCA of Greater Houston’s Safety Around Water (SAW) program, supported by Reliant and other generous donors, which will provide more than 1,000 children and families across Greater Houston with access to life-saving water safety education at no cost.
The need for water safety education is urgent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death among children in the United States. Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that formal swim lessons can reduce drowning risk by as much as 88% for young children. Yet more than half of Americans lack basic swimming skills, which makes these swim safety efforts even more essential.
“Water safety starts with education, awareness and access,” said Stephen Ives, president and CEO, YMCA of Greater Houston. “Through Safety Around Water and our sustained partnership with Reliant, we are connecting more families with drowning prevention education and resources that make a difference. Combined with our new swim lessons model and community initiatives, we’re helping the community feel safer, more confident and connected with one another in and around water throughout the summer.”
Building on this dedication, the YMCA of Greater Houston’s Safety Around Water program offers hands-on training and access to essential water-survival skills, including front crawl, CPR, and other survival strategies to improve water comfort. Supported by Reliant, Valero, USA Swimming and YMCA of the USA, the program will reach more than 1,000 children and families in the region.By reducing barriers to swim education, particularly in communities where access to instruction may otherwise be limited, the YMCA aims to keep its water safety education accessible to all Houston families, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Additionally, the YMCA of Greater Houston launched a new swim model earlier this year, expanding opportunities for swimmers of all ages. Clearer pathways and personalized guidance for swimmers of all ages, infants, children, teens and adults, are able to build confidence and life-saving skills year-round.
Beyond lessons in the pool, the YMCA of Greater Houston is amplifying its “Phones Down, Eyes Up” campaign, launched last year to encourage attentive supervision around water. With drownings often fast and silent, even brief distractions can have serious consequences. This initiative reminds parents and caregivers to designate a Water Watcher, a responsible adult who remains distraction-free and maintains constant visual contact with children in or near water.
Adding to this summer momentum, the YMCA of Greater Houston is participating in the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL), a global event dedicated to raising awareness about water safety and the life-saving importance of learning to swim. Taking place on June 25, 2026, from 12:30 to 1 p.m. at 19 locations across Houston, the event is open to families and swimmers of all skill levels, ages 3-12. Participants will take part in a guided swim lesson led by certified YMCA instructors, focused on foundational swim techniques and essential water safety skills. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
Further advancing these efforts is Reliant, which is an annual supporter of the YMCA of Greater Houston’s Safety Around Water program. To celebrate Reliant’s annual support, a special event will be held on June 16 at the Weekley Family YMCA. A spotlight will be placed on water safety education and demonstrations that show how youth can learn valuable safety skills for staying safer in or around water.
Through these expanded efforts, the YMCA of Greater Houston continues helping families feel confident, connected and prepared around water. Throughout the summer, the nonprofit is committed to supporting swimmers of all ages as they enjoy time in and around water safely and prepared.
To learn more about SAW programming and swim lessons, please contact saw@ymcahouston.org. To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Houston, visit www.ymcahouston.org.
Source: YMCA of Greater Houston
