GEHA and the Chiefs want kids to learn how to swim.
The team and the company are working together to make that happen.
This NFL season, GEHA, the Government Employees Health Association, has given hundreds of metro kids access to free swim lessons.
“As many people know, we have our name on a stadium, GEHA Field at Arrowhead,” said Gene Willis, manager of corporate social responsibility for GEHA.
Our partners at the Hunt Family Foundation, the Kansas City Chiefs, decided they wanted to be a part of this.”
The Joe Delaney Learn to Swim program presented by GEHA has expanded to 11 cities and helped 1,700 children, Willis said.
GEHA gave $5,000 to every city where the Chiefs played an away game.
The monetary support is for more than just swim lessons. It also includes transportation and swim equipment.
GEHA will keep the program afloat because of the inequities in the aquatic system.
“There have been far too many kids lost to drowning. This community continues to lose child after child to drowning,” said Sabrah Parsons, aquatic director, YMCA of Greater Kansas City. “We’re breaking those. We’re resetting the script. We’re saying, ”not anymore here.”