Who We Are
Mikayla Cares Foundation supports families by providing swim protective gear and kits, increasing awareness around learning to swim, educational resources and financial support to families who cannot afford swim lessons.
Meet Mikayla
Mikayla Courtney Fishburne made her debut on July 10, 2007, a beautiful hot summer day in Austell, Georgia. Mikayla grew to be a bubbly and inquisitive child providing joy to her parents (George and Tremelle), her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and a host of family and friends. Mikayla received much love and attention as the youngest grandbaby of her maternal grandparents and the only grandchild of her paternal grandmother.
She attended local day cares in the metro Atlanta community before entering Pre-K at Indelible Impressions and finally Chapel Hill Christian School at age 4. Mikayla made many friends at church and in her neighborhood, but her dearest friend, even at the tender age of almost 5, was Corryn. Mikayla lived a blessed life. She experienced her first airplane ride at 6 months and thereafter became a frequent flyer traveling to visit her grandparents in Philadelphia and Miami. At her fourth birthday Mikayla visited Disney World to celebrate her birthday. It was a joyous time for her, her parents and family who traveled to Orlando to celebrate her. It was unimaginable that her 4th birthday celebration would be her last.
On June 16, 2012, less than a month from her 5th birthday, Mikayla died in a residential pool while visiting a home in south Florida with a relative. According to police records, Mikayla entered a residential pool without adult supervision. Prior to this day, Mikayla had never been in a pool without her parents or an adult. Mikayla had not yet learned to swim and was not wearing lifesaving protective gear when she entered the pool. As a result, Mikayla was overtaken by the friendly looking but dangerous waters.
In tribute to Makayla, her mother established the Mikayla Cares Foundation in 2022, 10 years after her passing. The foundation champions water safety by providing swim protective gear, educational resources, free swim lessons to children and parents and academic scholarships to graduating high students and college students.
More About Our Organization
The MCF was established as a Georgia nonprofit on August 17, 2021, and received its 501c3 exempt status on December 7, 2021. Its mission is to provide water safety education and resources to children and families in addition to academic scholarships. The Founder and CEO is Tremelle I. Howard, Esq., Mikayla’s mother and a licensed attorney and community advocate. Since 1998, Tremelle has served on numerous boards in Philadelphia/Pittsburgh, PA and metro Atlanta communities as an officer, committee chair and member. Tremelle has led fundraising campaigns and advised multiple nonprofits on board governance and is well-equipped to lead the Foundation.
MCF honors the life of Mikayla Courtney Fishburne who passed away at the tender age of 4 before learning to swim or achieve the many dreams that she and her family had for her. The ability to swim is a life skill too often overlooked or delayed in the African American community. MCF will honor her life by establishing a legacy of support for children and families, providing protective swim apparatuses, and swim lessons to children and awarding academic scholarships. MCF is committed to shining a light on this vital skill in the hope of saving a life and a parent’s heart from the devastating loss of a child. Mikayla’s life touched so many, and the MCF is working to bless even more children and their families.
Meet the Board Of Directors
Tremelle I. Howard, Esq.
Founder & CEO
Justin Aiken, Esq.
Karla R. Howard, MSW
Trina Jones, B.S.
Debra Mathews, PharmD
Laquetta Qualls Peters, EMBA
George Fishburne Jr., MPA
Richard R. Harris, Esq.
