Kaiser Permanente, American Red Cross and the USA Swimming Foundation are helping residents access more aquatics activities this summer.
SANTA ANA, Calif. – The City of Santa Ana is thrilled to announce the expansion of its aquatics programs and new scholarship opportunities made possible by partnerships with Kaiser Permanente’s Operation Splash program, American Red Cross and the USA Swimming Foundation. These initiatives will offer residents increased access to a range of aquatics activities this summer at Parks, Recreation and Community Services Agency (PRCSA) aquatics facilities.
Learn-to-Swim, Junior Lifeguard and Silver Splash scholarship applications are now available for Santa Ana residents.
Kaiser Permanente’s Operation Splash program has awarded the City with a two-year, $75,000 grant. This generous contribution will fund 900 Learn-to-Swim and 20 Junior Lifeguard course scholarships, as well as provide 200 subsidized youth recreation swim passes and 300 subsidized Silver Splash memberships for seniors. Operation Splash promotes physical activity, aiming to combat childhood and adult obesity while enhancing the overall health of the Santa Ana community. Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to community health initiatives in Santa Ana is realized through this grant.
In 2023, the American Red Cross Centennial Campaign awarded the City a three-year, $48,000 grant to provide 1,050 Learn-to-Swim and Junior Lifeguard scholarships. Additionally, this funding will support PRCSA Aquatics team members by increasing training opportunities through advanced Pool Management courses and access to subsidized training manuals provided by the American Red Cross.
The USA Swimming Foundation this year granted the City $6,000 to provide an additional 150 Learn-to-Swim scholarships, further increasing Santa Ana resident access to PRCSA aquatics facilities.
The City of Santa Ana is committed to increasing access to water safety opportunities, and these grants allow PRCSA staff to demonstrate this dedication to the community.
The City of Santa Ana also is playing a pivotal role in this year’s OC Safer Summer Pool Party presented by the Orange County Drowning Prevention Coalition and the Jasper Ray Foundation. Families are encouraged to attend this free, interactive event to receive information about these scholarship opportunities and learn water safety skills from experts from Children’s Health of Orange County (CHOC), Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), the Swim Brayv Foundation and Santa Ana Aquatics team members.
The event will take place Saturday, July 20, 2024, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at the El Salvador Pool, 1825 W. Civic Center Drive.