Stew Leonard III Children”™s Charities in Norwalk received a donation of $5,000 from M&T Bank and Wilmington Trust (part of the M&T Bank family). This is the fourth consecutive year that the bank has partnered with the charity that has a goal of keeping children safe around the water. The donation will help to provide free or low-cost swimming lessons to children as well as lifeguard training at various YMCAs and city-funded swim programs in Fairfield County.
Stew Leonard III Children”™s Charities was founded in 1990 by Kim and Stew Leonard in memory of their son. On January 1, 1989, Stew Leonard III, at the age of only 21 months, was the victim of a drowning accident. As a result, his parents pledged to do everything in their power to prevent other families from having to face such a tragedy. Drowning is the cause of about one-third of accidental deaths among children under four according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Stew Leonard III Children”™s Charities has raised more than $2 million to promote water safety awareness and education, including lifeguard training and providing 10,000 free or low-cost swimming lessons to children each year.
