Coach and smiling swimmers in the Little Splash indoor pool
Partnership announced 9/1/2026
Local funds · Local kids · Des Moines Metro

Give a child the gift of water safety.

Little Splash Swim Program is an official swim school partner of the Hope Floats Foundation. Your donation funds scholarships that put lifesaving swim lessons within reach of Des Moines-area children whose families face financial barriers.

$65
raised so far
0
kids sponsored
Watch — Hope Floats Helps Families

Real families. Real impact.

A quick look at how Hope Floats scholarships change lives — the same mission we’re proud to now deliver locally in Des Moines through Little Splash.

Why it matters

The stakes couldn’t be higher.

13
School buses of children

The equivalent of thirteen school buses full of children die each year in the United States due to drowning.

88%
Lower drowning risk

Studies at the National Institute of Health show that swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88%.

300+
Hope Floats swim schools

Hope Floats partners with local communities to offer need-based scholarships at 300+ swim schools in 40 states.

Our partnership

Joining forces to remove barriers to swim lessons.

Through this partnership, Little Splash Swim Program will help make quality swim lessons more accessible to children and families in the Des Moines Metro who may otherwise face financial barriers to participation. As a locally owned swim program, Little Splash is proud to bring the Hope Floats mission directly into the community it serves.

“At Little Splash, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn the skills that can help keep them safe around water, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. As a small, locally owned swim program, being able to pay it forward and provide opportunities for children who may otherwise not have access to swim lessons is incredibly meaningful to us.”
— Abrie Freeman, Founder & Program Director, Little Splash Swim Program
“There’s a huge need for swim lessons, and the kids that need them the most — lower socio-economic level kids — they’re not getting them. We are saving kids, but there are more we need to reach, and we have the ability and resources to do it.”
— Cindy Tonnesen, Founder, Hope Floats Foundation
Hope Floats Events

Upcoming events

Nov
21
Gobble & Give: A Friendsgiving brunch + silent auction
Saturday 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Hilton Garden Inn — Garden Ballroom: 8600 Northpark Dr, Johnston, IA 50131

Join Little Splash Swim Program for Gobble & Give — a family-friendly Friendsgiving brunch and silent auction benefiting swim lesson scholarships for local kids, in partnership with Hope Floats Foundation.

Details
Spread the word

Can’t give today? Share instead.

Every share helps another Des Moines child get in the water safely.

About Little Splash

Little Splash Swim Program is a locally owned, play-based swim program serving children in the Des Moines Metro. Founded with the belief that children can learn to swim without fear-based methods, we focus on small class sizes, child-centered instruction, water safety, skill development, and building confidence in the water.

Meet the team

About Hope Floats Foundation

Hope Floats Foundation is a nonprofit founded in 2016 committed to impacting the statistics on worldwide drowning. The Hope Floats model is a simple, sustainable way for swim schools to provide scholarships for high-quality swim lessons in their community through a “local funds for local kids” model.

hopefloats.foundation