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Keep Children's Swim Program Afloat

Tax deductible
Goal:
The Bay Ridge Aquatics Institute (BRAINS), a non-profit organization providing swim-centered programs and life-saving education in the local community is asking for help in the form of donations to keep the Harbor Seals swim team alive. BRAINS does not expect to be able to fund the Harbor Seals program long enough to see the completion of the Fort Hamilton HS' pool renovation without additional funding.  

BRAINS' directors project that we will need to raise approximately $25,000 from outside sources in order to keep the Harbor Seals Swim Team afloat. All donations are tax deductible; confirmation and receipts will be provided.

The Harbor Seals 

The Bay Ridge Aquatics Institute (BRAINS), Inc. 

Background:
The Bay Ridge Aquatics Institute, Inc. (BRAINS) is a 501(c)(3), charitable, non-profit  corporation whose mission is to provide programs resulting in the advancement of swim-centered, life-saving education in the local community. Our vision is that BRAINS' programs will result in health and safety benefits to our local community, preparing our diverse population across a wide range of age groups, to meet the challenges that life may present.

The Fort Hamilton High School pool, where BRAINS has been conducting its programs for the past 25 years is undergoing renovation by the School Construction Authority since June 2017. The renovation was projected to be completed by January 2018. In December 2017 we learned that it has encountered delays and has become a much larger project. It is now not expected to be completed before the summer of 2019 according to information presented to the community-based organizations by project managers at FHHS.

Because of this displacement, BRAINS has not been able to offer the swim-centered, life-saving, educational programs that generate the subsidy that keeps its USA Swim Team, "The Harbor Seals" affordable for its struggling families.  These families devote as much of their resources to providing healthy activities for their young athletes as they can and would not be able to have their children in such a wide-ranging activity as USA Swimming without the subsidy that BRAINS has historically provided.

In order to keep the Harbor Seals swimming while the renovation slowly progresses, BRAINS has used up most of its reserves as it has had to rent space at other facilities where it may not offer any of its income-generating programs. BRAINS directors do not expect to be able to continue the Harbor Seals program long enough for the Fort Hamilton HS pool renovation to be completed without additional funding. 

BRAINS has been self-funded for the past 25 years and its directors plan to return to this funding model once the regular programs can resume. Please add the Bay Ridge Aquatics Institute to your list of worthy organizations and be as generous as you can at this time in particular.

Please let me know how you might be able to help us keep our team alive until our organization can resume offering its American Red Cross Learn to Swim, Lifeguarding, and Water Safety Instruction programs, and other health, swim, and life-saving programs to our local community.


Fred Fritsch, Head Coach 
Bay Ridge Aquatics Institute / Harbor Seals

It takes BRAINS to Learn to Swim like a Harbor Seal!
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Donations 

  • C. Melissa Morelli-Walsh
    • $100 
    • 5 yrs
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Fundraising team: BRAINS / Harbor Seals (10)

Maria Fritsch
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
Bay Ridge Aquatics Institute Inc
 
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
Harbor Seals
Team member
Fred Fritsch
Team member
Judy Li
Team member
Valerie Gilson
Team member

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