Wanda Butts is a United States activist who leads a nonprofit organization that teaches minority children how to swim. She was named one of the top 10 CNN Heroes in 2012. [1] [2]
Butts had a fear of water since she was a child. [1] [3] [4] She lost her 16-year-old son to a drowning accident in 2006, when he was rafting with friends on a lake and did not wear a life jacket. [1] [3] [4] [5] Her son did not know how to swim. After this tragedy, Butts was determined to begin activism so other children would not suffer the same fate. [1] [6] Butts now works for the city of Toledo, Ohio full-time, while running her nonprofit organization part-time. [5]
After her son's death, Butts founded the nonprofit organization the Josh Project in 2007 in Toledo, Ohio. She partnered with the USA Swimming Foundation's Make-A-Splash initiative to help with her organization, who in turn connected her with her local swimming organization, the Greater Toledo Aquatic Club. [7] [6] The Josh Project provides low-cost swimming lessons for children, and the first swimming safety session for children was held in March 2007. [6] As of 2016, the organization has helped over 1,300 children learn how to swim. [1] [4] [2] The organization primarily helps minority children, as they are at a significantly higher risk of drowning in the United States. [1] [3] [7] [6] Most of the children who learn to swim are the first in their family to do so. [6] Volunteers that are certified lead the classes at a local high school. Children can continue in the program for as long as they choose. [4] She also performs speaking engagements. [5] Her organization model has expanded to create similar organizations in other locations such as Norfolk, Virginia. [1] Butts hopes to expand her organization by training more instructors and gaining their own facility. [1] [7]
Butts was named a CNN Hero in 2012. [1] She was named one of The Grio's 100 in 2013. [3]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Trinh, Lan. "Swim lessons help minority children break cycle". CNN. CNN. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Son's drowning spurs mom to action". CNN. CNN. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d "theGrio's 100: Wanda Butts, turning tragedy into life-saving hope". TheGrio. TheGrio. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d Free, Cathy. "Wanda Butts Teaches Inner City Kids in Ohio How to Swim". People. People. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Minority Swimming: A Mother's Mission". Aquatics International. Aquatics International. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Ozburn, Marc. "DoGooder Spotlight: Triumph Through Tragedy in Josh's Project". The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c Gustafson, Mike. "Wanda Butts: A Hero". USA Swimming. USA Swimming. Archived from the original on 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
Wanda Butts is a United States activist who leads a nonprofit organization that teaches minority children how to swim. She was named one of the top 10 CNN Heroes in 2012. [1] [2]
Butts had a fear of water since she was a child. [1] [3] [4] She lost her 16-year-old son to a drowning accident in 2006, when he was rafting with friends on a lake and did not wear a life jacket. [1] [3] [4] [5] Her son did not know how to swim. After this tragedy, Butts was determined to begin activism so other children would not suffer the same fate. [1] [6] Butts now works for the city of Toledo, Ohio full-time, while running her nonprofit organization part-time. [5]
After her son's death, Butts founded the nonprofit organization the Josh Project in 2007 in Toledo, Ohio. She partnered with the USA Swimming Foundation's Make-A-Splash initiative to help with her organization, who in turn connected her with her local swimming organization, the Greater Toledo Aquatic Club. [7] [6] The Josh Project provides low-cost swimming lessons for children, and the first swimming safety session for children was held in March 2007. [6] As of 2016, the organization has helped over 1,300 children learn how to swim. [1] [4] [2] The organization primarily helps minority children, as they are at a significantly higher risk of drowning in the United States. [1] [3] [7] [6] Most of the children who learn to swim are the first in their family to do so. [6] Volunteers that are certified lead the classes at a local high school. Children can continue in the program for as long as they choose. [4] She also performs speaking engagements. [5] Her organization model has expanded to create similar organizations in other locations such as Norfolk, Virginia. [1] Butts hopes to expand her organization by training more instructors and gaining their own facility. [1] [7]
Butts was named a CNN Hero in 2012. [1] She was named one of The Grio's 100 in 2013. [3]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Trinh, Lan. "Swim lessons help minority children break cycle". CNN. CNN. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Son's drowning spurs mom to action". CNN. CNN. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d "theGrio's 100: Wanda Butts, turning tragedy into life-saving hope". TheGrio. TheGrio. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d Free, Cathy. "Wanda Butts Teaches Inner City Kids in Ohio How to Swim". People. People. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Minority Swimming: A Mother's Mission". Aquatics International. Aquatics International. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Ozburn, Marc. "DoGooder Spotlight: Triumph Through Tragedy in Josh's Project". The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ a b c Gustafson, Mike. "Wanda Butts: A Hero". USA Swimming. USA Swimming. Archived from the original on 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2 June 2021.