“Getting my son into swimming lessons—and being able to continue them—has been an incredible blessing and a tremendous gift for our family.

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Jayden is nonverbal, an eloper, and severely autistic. He absolutely loves water. It doesn’t matter if it’s a lake, a pool, or even just a sink—he’s drawn to it and will jump in without hesitation. Unfortunately, he has no awareness of danger, which makes this love of water very scary for us as his family.

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One day, he jumped into a lake without warning, and I had to go in and pull him out. That terrifying moment made me realize just how urgent and important it is for him to learn how to swim and to be safe around water.

 

This scholarship means the world to us. It not only gives Jayden a chance to learn critical life-saving skills, but it also gives us peace of mind and seeing how much he is enjoying himself during the lesson. For families like ours—who live with limited income and care for children with special needs—opportunities like this are rare and deeply meaningful. I know we're not alone in this; there are so many other families who face similar challenges, and programs like this truly make a difference in our lives.

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Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.“

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-Jayden's Mom