About
Detroit Swims – Safety Around Water offers swim lessons and a water-safety program called Safety Around Water Sessions. The program includes Detroit Swims – Safety Around Water – Qualifier, which is used to get qualified to take Detroit Swims free programs and is not an actual class for Detroit Swims. Safety Around Water Sessions are led by certified swim instructors and lifeguards.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Youth sessions run on Sundays from 6:00 am–7:00 am between 1/5/25 and 12/28/25
• Price: Detroit Swims is a free swim and water-safety program designed for children ages 5–17 in Detroit and surrounding communities. The program costs about $160 per child, which covers swim gear, instructor pay, pool time, transportation, and pool maintenance. A $50 donation will purchase a swim gear kit for one student. A $160 donation will sponsor all of the costs for one child to learn to swim. A $500 donation will sponsor all of the costs for three children to learn to swim. A $1,000 donation will provide transportation for 35 children to get to and from swim lessons for 8 weeks. A $2,500 donation will help a classroom of 24 children learn to swim and be safe around water for life.
Detroit Swims – Safety Around Water is part of Detroit Swims, a free swim and water-safety program designed for children ages 5–17 in Detroit and surrounding communities. The program offers free swim lessons at local YMCAs, schools, and neighborhood pools, with swimwear, towels, goggles, and gear provided, as well as free transportation to and from lessons. Detroit Swims states that its mission is to eliminate barriers such as cost, access, swim gear, and transportation so that every child can learn to swim safely and confidently. The program describes its environment as inclusive and encouraging for all children.
Detroit Swims teaches over 1,200 children each year essential water safety skills and swim lessons, and since 2010, over 15,000 youth have become safer in and around water. Since the program’s inception, Detroit Swims reports that it has taught 5,800 kids to swim, and its stated goal is to teach every child in Metro Detroit to swim with confidence. The program began in 2010, started by lifeguards at the Boll Family YMCA. The first season of Detroit Swims was funded entirely by part-time lifeguards and swim instructors at the Boll Family YMCA, who collectively gave $2,000 out of their own paychecks to teach the first 35 kids how to swim.
Detroit Swims is supported by the Farner Family Foundation, which has given one million dollars to the Detroit Swims program to support youth water safety initiatives. The Detroit Swims Volunteer Committee is a group of volunteers from the swimming and local Detroit community who assist with fundraising, donations, marketing, and other tasks. Four-time Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay supports Detroit Swims as a volunteer and encourages local swim teams to give back to support the sport of swimming.
The program notes that paid lifeguard and swim instructor roles include free training and a $500 bonus. In addition to monetary donations, Detroit Swims requests new or gently used girls’ one-piece and boys’ jammers swimsuits in sizes from youth XS to adult XXL, swim caps, goggles, Rubbermaid bins or Ikea bags, cinch bags, and gift cards for gas for its bus.
Last updated January 5, 2026.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Youth sessions run on Sundays from 6:00 am–7:00 am between 1/5/25 and 12/28/25
• Price: Detroit Swims is a free swim and water-safety program designed for children ages 5–17 in Detroit and surrounding communities. The program costs about $160 per child, which covers swim gear, instructor pay, pool time, transportation, and pool maintenance. A $50 donation will purchase a swim gear kit for one student. A $160 donation will sponsor all of the costs for one child to learn to swim. A $500 donation will sponsor all of the costs for three children to learn to swim. A $1,000 donation will provide transportation for 35 children to get to and from swim lessons for 8 weeks. A $2,500 donation will help a classroom of 24 children learn to swim and be safe around water for life.
Detroit Swims – Safety Around Water is part of Detroit Swims, a free swim and water-safety program designed for children ages 5–17 in Detroit and surrounding communities. The program offers free swim lessons at local YMCAs, schools, and neighborhood pools, with swimwear, towels, goggles, and gear provided, as well as free transportation to and from lessons. Detroit Swims states that its mission is to eliminate barriers such as cost, access, swim gear, and transportation so that every child can learn to swim safely and confidently. The program describes its environment as inclusive and encouraging for all children.
Detroit Swims teaches over 1,200 children each year essential water safety skills and swim lessons, and since 2010, over 15,000 youth have become safer in and around water. Since the program’s inception, Detroit Swims reports that it has taught 5,800 kids to swim, and its stated goal is to teach every child in Metro Detroit to swim with confidence. The program began in 2010, started by lifeguards at the Boll Family YMCA. The first season of Detroit Swims was funded entirely by part-time lifeguards and swim instructors at the Boll Family YMCA, who collectively gave $2,000 out of their own paychecks to teach the first 35 kids how to swim.
Detroit Swims is supported by the Farner Family Foundation, which has given one million dollars to the Detroit Swims program to support youth water safety initiatives. The Detroit Swims Volunteer Committee is a group of volunteers from the swimming and local Detroit community who assist with fundraising, donations, marketing, and other tasks. Four-time Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay supports Detroit Swims as a volunteer and encourages local swim teams to give back to support the sport of swimming.
The program notes that paid lifeguard and swim instructor roles include free training and a $500 bonus. In addition to monetary donations, Detroit Swims requests new or gently used girls’ one-piece and boys’ jammers swimsuits in sizes from youth XS to adult XXL, swim caps, goggles, Rubbermaid bins or Ikea bags, cinch bags, and gift cards for gas for its bus.
Last updated January 5, 2026.
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