Team New York Aquatics

Every January, Team New York Aquatics, NYC's LGBT (& supporters) swim team, uses the annual national USMS One Hour Swim competition as an occasion to raise money for charities that affect our community. We compete to see how far we can swim in a pool in an hour, and get pledges and donations for causes that matter to us. This began in the height of the AIDS crisis, to raise money for medical bills for members of our team suffering from the disease. This year we're raising money for two excellent LGBT organizations:

The LGBT Advocacy Project of the City Bar Justice Center provides direct civil legal services to address the specific legal needs of the LGBT community. In addition to screening clients and matching them with pro bono attorneys, the project will collaborate with other New York-based LGBT projects to address unmet legal needs and provide volunteer trainings to serve LGBT individuals. The project is consolidating existing cases in other projects with new cases referred from CBJC’s Legal Hotline and outside organizations. Matters under the project include housing preservation, intestacy issues, elder law, estate planning, same-sex divorce, second-parent adoption, and marital rights.

AIDS Service Center NYC (ASCNYC) helps HIV-positive New Yorkers, and those at risk, get a second chance to reclaim their lives. They offer a diverse range of individualized, professional services in a nurturing environment, and include access to healthcare, social services, peer education, and safe-practice counseling. ASCNYC programs promote positive change, self-respect, personal responsibility, and connection to community.