Visa USA is pushing its image as an Olympics sponsor with a program of education and improvement grants for YMCA pools.
Visa kick-started its slate of jump-start grants for local YMCAs on Tuesday by presenting the National Capitol YMCA in Washington, D.C. with a $20,000 grant. That money will provide swimming lessons for 72 underprivileged children, a handicap lift and handicap access steps to the pool and additional lap lanes and lifeguard chairs.
Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders and World Champion swimmer Katie Hoff both participated in the D.C. event to help raise awareness for increasing and improving spaces in which American kids can play. That’s the primary goal of the Visa initiative, which also effectively initiates Visa’s participation as sponsor of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Similar grant events are slated for YMCAs in New York and San Francisco over the next several months.
Visa is conducting the campaign in collaboration with The Partnership for Play Every Day, backed by the YMCA of the USA, the National Recreation and Park Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. The effort to expand children’s opportunities for exercise includes 30 leading non-profit organizations, government agencies and academic associations.
“As a longtime Olympic sponsor, we’re committed to empowering current and future Olympic team hopefuls to reach for and achieve their dreams,” said Michael Lynch, Visa USA senior vice president in a statement.
Beyond Beijing, Visa is currently committed to Olympics sponsorship for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
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