Waterproofing
We believe that swimming is an essential skill that every child should learn. Like riding a bike, being able to swim provides a lifetime of enjoyment through physical activity. With childhood obesity at an epidemic level, it's crucial to help children develop healthy lifestyles that include regular exercise. It's also a matter of safety. Consider these facts from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
- Drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years.
- The drowning rate of African American children ages 5 to 14 is 3.1 times that of white children in the same age range.
Asphalt Green is committed to eliminating childhood obesity and drowning in New York City. We do this through Waterproofing, a free swim instruction and water safety program serving public school children in Harlem. Since the creation of the Waterproofing program in 1994, Asphalt Green's professional instructors have taught over 30,000 public school children water safety and how to swim. In January 2010, the Children's Aid Society entered into partnership with Asphalt Green to bring the Waterproofing program to their Dunlevy Milbank Community Center. This partnership enables us to serve nearly 500 more children annually from six different public schools. This is in addition to the 700 children from 10 East Harlem public schools who already participate in Waterproofing at Asphalt Green.
To help NYC children learn how to swim and be safe in the water, click here to make a donation.
A copy of Asphalt Green’s latest annual report may be obtained, upon request, from Asphalt Green or from the New York State Attorney General's Charities Bureau, Attn: FOIL Officer, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.