Swim Across America
 |
|
| Founded | June 1987 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-Profit |
| 501©(3) | |
|
Key people
|
Janel Jorgensen-McArdle, President |
| Slogan | Making Waves to Fight Cancer |
| Website | www.swimacrossamerica.org |
Swim Across America Inc., (SAA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment by hosting open water and pool swim events across the US. SAA, whose events often include Olympians such as Michael Phelps, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres, has raised over $40 million since its inception. Money raised by SAA supports world-renowned hospitals, laboratories and clinics, including the Swim Across America lab at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, which played a key role in developing the first drug to treat metastatic melanoma approved by the FDA in 13 years. Swim Across America’s events are community oriented and attract swimmers of all ages and skill levels. SAA has been sponsored by corporate giants such as Verizon, Speedo, Balance Bar, Bank of America and Chobani.
Childhood friends Jeff Keith and Matt Vossler began Swim Across America with a swim in 1987. Keith, a survivor of cancer, had lost part of his right leg to the disease. After Keith and Vossler graduated from Boston College, they ran across the country to raise $1 million for cancer research, and subsequently organized that first open water swim in Nantucket to raise money for local cancer groups.
Vossler is currently on Swim Across America's national board of directors.
The mission statement of Swim Across America is: Swim Across America, Inc., [SAA] is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming- related events. With the help of hundreds of volunteers nationwide and past and current Olympians, SAA is helping find a cure for cancer through athleticism, community outreach and direct service.
Swim Across America’s motto is “Making Waves to Fight Cancer.”
Swim Across America hosts three types of swimming events: large scale open water swims, community oriented pool swims and virtual swims. Each event is characterized by the community that it is being held in, with various distance options, courses and beneficiaries. For each event, swimmers raise money by asking others to sponsor their participation. SAA then donates the raised funds to a local beneficiary, allowing participants to make a direct impact on their communities.
...
Wikipedia