by Kaitlyn Williams
At Love to Swim, we believe water safety should never be a luxury. It should be a life skill.
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 in the United States and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14, according to the CDC. It is fast, silent, and preventable. Yet for many families in North County, access to quality swim instruction remains out of reach.
Based in Vista, Love to Swim is a nonprofit dedicated to drowning prevention, adaptive swim education, and accessible water safety instruction for children and families across North County. Our mission is simple: make swim education safer, more inclusive, and more accessible for everyone, regardless of ability, diagnosis, or financial circumstance. For many of the families we serve, swim lessons are not recreational. They are lifesaving.
Our vision is to build a future where every family in North County has access to safe, affordable, year-round swim education. That means expanding scholarship opportunities, increasing access to adaptive instruction, investing in specialized training and equipment, and ultimately creating an indoor swim facility that can serve our community year-round.
This is about more than teaching children how to swim. It is about preventing tragedy, expanding access, and equipping families with the tools to keep their children safe.
The need is urgent. Children with autism are significantly more likely to drown than their peers, and families with children who have physical, cognitive, or emotional support needs often face even greater barriers to accessing safe swim instruction.
Love to Swim exists to close that gap.
Our plan for the future is to grow from a grassroots program into a permanent community resource. One that provides lifesaving swim instruction, adaptive support, and long-term aquatic access for the families who need it most.
Because every child deserves the chance to be safe in the water.
To learn more, support our mission, or get involved, visit www.lovetoswim.net.
