Kaiser Permanente launches 2024 Operation Splash

This Saturday, June 8, Kaiser Permanente and Desert Recreation District will launch the 2024 Operation Splash, an almost annual initiative where children will be taking refuge from the hot California sun splashing and swimming in the cool water.

This year's Operation Splash will take place at the community pool at Bagdouma Park in Coachella from 9 AM to 12 PM.

Thanks to a $85,000 Kaiser Permanente Community Health Grant, Desert Recreation District will be able to provide thousands of children in low-income neighborhoods with free swim lessons, free swim passes and free junior lifeguard training through the year 2026 at many of its public pools in the area. 

Kaiser Permanente developed Operation Splash in 2006 to ensure that children in low-income neighborhoods have access to safe aquatic programs and exercise. The initiative helps reduce preventable drowning incidents and fosters overall well-being through swimming, which improves cardiovascular health and mental wellness.   

Since its inception, Operation Splash has reached approximately 306,600 youth and adults throughout Southern California.

For 2024 through 2026, Kaiser Permanente has allocated $767,000 in Operation Splash grant funding for six public agencies: The City of Riverside Parks and Recreation and Community Services Department, the City of San Bernardino Parks and Recreation and Community Services Department, the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department, the City of Santa Ana Parks and Recreation and Community Services Agency, the City of Desert Recreation District, Indio; and the City of Bakersfield Department of Recreation and Parks Department.