Jay Farner, CEO of Rocket Companies donated $1 million to the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit.
Jay Farner, CEO of Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT) and a member of the Executive Committee for the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, today announced a $1 million donation to the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit to expand the organization’s swim education programming over the next three years.
The investment will provide free programming to more than 7,500 Metro Detroit youth. It will grow capacity in the Youth Safety Around Water Drowning Prevention program and allow it to serve more than 5,625 additional students, as well as an additional 1,875 participants in the Youth Swim lessons.
The donation will also go toward ensuring adequate lifeguard and instructor training as well as assist the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit in maintaining an appropriate ratio of instructors to students.
“As the father of three competitive swimmers, I am grateful for the role swimming has played in my children’s development, as well as the water safety education they have received,” said Farner. “It is important to me to share the joy of swimming with others, so that whether it’s in a pool, the river or in one of our Great Lakes, our youth are swimming carefully and equipped with the training they need to stay safe.”
The YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit operates seven facilities in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, each equipped with a pool and educational programming. The majority of the students supported through the investment will be at the flagship Boll Family YMCA, located in downtown Detroit.
“We are honored by Jay’s investment supporting the youth of our community through swim safety education, as well as his passionate advocacy as a member of our executive committee and the father of school-age competitive swimmers,” said Helene Weir, President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit. “Our goal is to support swimmers from every background who use our facilities, especially our youth, who are most in need of the proper tools and education to succeed. This investment will bring us closer to ensuring our youth can swim strongly and safely.”
According to a 2010 study from the USA Swimming Foundation, 70% of Black children do not know how to swim, mirroring data from the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit for Detroit children overall.
The CDC found drowning as the leading cause of accidental death for children one through four, and second leading cause of accidental death for children one through fourteen.
Those interested in swim lessons for themselves or their child can visit the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit’s website to learn more.
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