Since 2016, the Gray Foundation has committed over $32 million to establish NYC Kids RISE. The organization expands access to higher education, economic opportunity, and equity by providing families, schools and communities a way to work together to save for their children’s education.

The organization’s Save for College program provides scholarship accounts for every eligible student entering kindergarten, empowers families with the tools and information to develop their own college savings plans, and partners with the NYC Department of Education to provide financial literacy training in the classroom.

In 2024, we supported the launch of Wave Makers, an innovative partnership to provide free, comprehensive swimming lessons for up to 2,000 second graders across New York City. Low-income communities and those in “pool deserts” are prioritized.

Asphalt Green operates the program, as an extension of its Waterproofing initiative that brings free swim and water safety instruction to New York City public school students. In partnership with other community-based organizations such as The YMCA and Commonpoint Queens, Wave Makers is demonstrating the most effective pathways to large-scale free swim instruction across the five boroughs.