Florida Swimming Pool Association Strengthens Partnership with Step Into Swim Drowning Prevention Initiative
Step Into Swim, an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance dedicated to creating more swimmers through safe swim education, announced that the Florida Swimming Pool Association has renewed its partnership as a Platinum Level supporter with a $50,000 donation. Heritage Pool Supply Group, a Step Into Swim Diamond Level supporter, matched the donation dollar for dollar at a check presentation during FSPA’s Everything Under the Sun Expo in Orlando, Florida, on March 7.
FSPA has been a leading force in the Florida pool industry for over 50 years. Through its Florida Swims Foundation, the organization helps children across the state gain access to vital swimming lessons and water safety education.
“In a state where water is such an important part of everyday life, ensuring that children learn how to swim is critical,” says Lyndsey Shock, CEO of the Florida Swimming Pool Association. “Through our Florida Swims Foundation and the support of partners like Heritage Pool Supply Group and the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, we are helping give more families the opportunity to gain lifesaving skills and confidence in and around the water.”
Florida has one of the highest drowning rates in the United States. To combat this, FSPA and Step Into Swim have worked to increase access to swim lessons and water safety education for years. In 2025, Step Into Swim supported 26 learn-to-swim programs in Florida, funding swim lessons for over 1,700 children.
“As a native Floridian, I understand firsthand that being in and around water is a major part of day-to-day life here,” says three-time Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines, PHTA vice president of partnerships and development, who leads the Step Into Swim initiative. “By increasing access to swim lessons — especially in underserved communities that are at highest risk — we are making the next generation of Floridians safer, more educated and more confident.”
Heritage Pool Supply Group and its Heritage Cares Foundation, which has been supporting Step Into Swim annually for the past five years and already committed $100,000 to the initiative in January 2026, matched FSPA’s $50,000 donation. The PHTA board of directors then matched this $100,000 donation for a total impact of $200,000 toward water safety education in Florida.
“Supporting this initiative goes beyond promoting safety — it’s about education and creating a meaningful impact in communities across Florida,” says Scott Frost, president of Heritage Pool Supply. “By matching FSPA’s generous donation, we’re able to reach more children and families, expanding access to swim lessons and helping empower communities statewide.”
In 2025, Step Into Swim raised over $1.5 million, which provided grants across 43 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Grand Cayman and Canada and funded swim lessons for nearly 20,000 children. The initiative has gifted more than 500,000 swim lessons since 2012. Every dollar donated goes directly to learn-to-swim programming. To learn more, visit stepintoswim.com.
