Live Water Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose Mission is to Inspire and Empower the people and organizations we work with by facilitating watersports programs that improve the health, wellness, and environment of our communities.
Every action we make is with the intention of fostering a community centered around a commitment to environmental stewardship, equitable access to water activity for youth in Annapolis, and serving our military veterans who have so bravely served for us.
We “paddle with a purpose” by infusing our favorite activity with our core values and empowering those we work with to do the same.
About our programs:
Wai Koa is an adaptive sports program for physically and mentally disabled veterans, active military, and first responders to get them outside and engaged in on-land and on-water activities. In addition to paddling, we also host water clean-ups and park beautification projects.
Our Junior Wai Koa program allows us to provide an unforgettable summer experience for children living in communities of the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA). For six weeks of summer, members of Live Water Foundation take children out once a week and teach them the basic skills of paddle boarding in a fun, community oriented environment that intrinsically motivates personal growth, physical movement, and feelings of solidarity.
For every veteran and youth program we run, we add an environmental initiative. Historically, this has been building oyster cages, trash cleanups both on land and water, and water quality monitoring. In 2021, we began a full-service oyster cage operation to aid in the “Marylanders Grow Oysters” (MGO) project created by Oyster Recovery Partnership. Throughout the oyster growing season, our team inspects and maintains cages for the participants of MGO, removing all of the work for them.