About Us
WHAT WE DO
Founded
Own Your Float was founded by Kate Casciato, a high school student at The Dalton School in New York City. What started as one girl handing out water safety flyers outside community centers and pools has grown into a student-led movement, sparked after a family member nearly drowned in a riptide. A competitive swimmer her entire life, Kate knew firsthand what water literacy could mean, and she saw clearly what happened to kids who never had access to it. What began as one student's mission has grown into a student-led movement: young people who believe water safety education shouldn't depend on your zip code. The gold standard is a swim lesson. But for so many children, that lesson may never come. Own Your Float exists to make sure they still learn valuable water safety.
Why We Exist
Swim lessons save lives. We know that. We believe in them. We even help other organizations fundraise for them.
But here's the reality: some kids will never get one.
The reasons run deep — cost, access, and generations of families who were kept out of pools by law. Those reasons don't disappear overnight.
And while we work toward a world where every child has access to a swim lesson, children are around water right now without the knowledge to survive it.
That's why we start with education. Early. Because a child who knows the rules of water safety is safer than a child who doesn't — swim lesson or not.
What People Are Saying
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“A valuable addition to our child safety curriculum.”
— Sarah L.
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“The power of community partnership was on display at the Own Your Float volunteer event when over 600 swim caps and goggles were donated to support our youth aquatics program. Thanks to the generosity of its donors, more young people now enjoy greater access to safe, confident experiences in the water.”
— Casper R.
Dunlevy Milbank -
“This program made water safety approachable and engaging for our students.”
— David K.