Local Nonprofits Unite to Provide Swim Lessons for Foster Children—Help Make a Life-Saving Impact with Your Donation

Two local nonprofits are teaming up to protect some of Manatee County’s most vulnerable children. Big Dreams Through Small Steps and Bridge a Life have launched a new partnership to provide free, life-saving swim lessons for children in the foster care system, thanks in part to a grant from the national drowning prevention initiative, Step Into Swim.

The effort is an expansion of Big Dreams Through Small Steps’ AQUAlibrium program, which offers free swim lessons, safety education, and community outreach for children ages 3–5. Now, through a collaboration with Bridge a Life, the program will extend swim lesson access to children in foster care who face significant barriers to this critical skill, regardless of age.

Bridge a Life is a nonprofit that supports foster and adoptive families through mentorship, trauma-informed care, and community connections. The organization’s deep ties to local foster care networks and its mission to empower children in hard places make it a strong partner for the expansion of AQUAlibrium’s reach.

Partial funding for the initiative comes from a 2025 grant from Step Into Swim, a national program by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance that works to create one million swimmers by supporting local learn-to-swim efforts. The grant enables Big Dreams Through Small Steps to remove financial obstacles that often prevent families from accessing swim instruction, especially those navigating the complexities of foster care.

“Too often, children in foster care are left out of enrichment opportunities that other children take for granted,” said Misty Ritch, founder of Big Dreams Through Small Steps. “Through this partnership with Bridge a Life and the support of Step Into Swim, we’re making sure these kids aren’t left behind when it comes to water safety.”

Swim lessons will be hosted at local partner swim schools, with trained instructors guiding children through up to ten sessions focused on building confidence, safety, and essential water survival skills.

For more information on the AQUAlibrium program or to support this initiative, visit www.bigdreamsthroughsmallsteps.org or www.bridgealife.com.