We started Swim With A Mission because we felt that we needed to do something! No Veteran should have to struggle to get help, but too many can’t find the services they need and deserve. Every person who ever served, and each member of their families has sacrificed something to keep the rest of us free. We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, because of the brave! Our freedom is not free! We hope that you will join us on this mission to help, support and honor our Veterans.

Our original event in 2017 was a swim across beautiful Newfound Lake, the cleanest lake in the Northeast. We couldn’t believe how many people came out to support this effort. So over the following few years, we added new events, like Paintball With A Mission (a team building event led by the Navy SEALs), SWAM’s Navy SEAL Gold Star Family Tribute Dinner and Auction, Green Beret With A Mission Challenge and much more. We can’t wait for you to see what we have planned next! Please check out the rest of our website for more details.

As we continue to evolve and understand more about the needs of our Veterans, we are focusing more on mental health and reducing Veteran suicide. We are doing this by strategically funding recreational retreats that get Veterans together with other Veterans. We are funding equine immersion programs, art therapy and mental health counseling. We are also paying for as many service and support dogs for Veterans as we can. By doing all of that and then working to build bridges among all the Veteran service organizations in our community, less Veterans will fall through the cracks. So, annually we hold a summit where we get all of our local Veteran service organizations together in one room with the VA and other stakeholders to continue to encourage them to work closely together and address concerns facing Veterans in our community.

We are also focused on the importance of remembering and honoring those that have made the ultimate sacrifice and their Gold Star families. At all of our events and on our website, we honor the 96 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that we have lost in service in the War on Terror since 9/11. Never Forget! We also offer the opportunity for individuals and businesses to purchase our Never Forget plaques so they can also honor our fallen heroes.

We are so grateful that our first seven years have been such a great success and are especially appreciative of every donor, sponsor, swimmer, volunteer and participant who have helped make this mission victorious! We have an incredible Board, Advisory Board and group of dedicated volunteers that are working hard to make next year even better. We are grateful to our friends and family (especially to our children Benjamin and Dani) for joining our mission. Please join us to make a difference!

Phil & Julie Taub | Co-Founders | Swim With A Mission, Inc.