OUR MISSION

Hope Swims was founded in the summer of 2021 by Sebastian Moore and his co-founder Napoleon Nasta, both varsity swimmers and high school students from Katy, Texas, with a shared passion for swimming and community service.

The program began with a mission to teach children in foster care how to swim and promote water safety, specifically serving kinship, foster, and adoptive families. Sebastian and Napoleon recognized that many children in the foster care system lacked access to swim lessons—putting them at a much higher risk of drowning. They believed swimming is a life-saving skill every child should have, regardless of their background.

From the start, the entire organization has been led by volunteers, and families are never charged for the swim lessons.

After high school, Sebastian continued to lead and grow the program, recruiting more volunteers and reaching even more families each summer. He is now pursuing a degree in public health with plans to attend medical school, driven by a commitment to continue serving at-risk communities.

Today, Hope Swims not only provides free swim lessons, but also advocates for drowning prevention and works to combat unequal access to the life-saving skill of swimming. The program helps children in the Houston area build confidence, stay safe in the water, and experience the joy of swimming—many for the very first time.