The Heart of Our Community
Tankproof Donor of the Month, January 2026 // Tankproof
Hi y'all!
This month, we want to say a special thank you to a family who continues to show up for our community, reminding us what it means to support one another and helping ensure more kids feel safe, seen, and cared for.
Our Tankproof Donor of the Month goes to…
💚 THE SMITH-BUSTER FAMILY 💚
We’re incredibly grateful for Emily Smith-Buster and Brian Buster and their lovely family for the role they play in our mission.
The Smith-Buster family have supported Tankproof monthly year after year, helping us create safe, welcoming water spaces and provide support to families when it’s needed most.
A FEW WORDS FROM EMILY & BRIAN:
What inspired you to support Tankproof?
Our family's primary reason for supporting Tankproof is that we believe all children should have access to water safety skills — not just those who can afford them. In America, drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of death for children ages 5-14. This is an unacceptable statistic because there's an easy solution. As community members, we know that it's not enough to keep only our own children safe. In the words of James Baldwin, "the children are always ours, every single one of them..." We are committed to supporting the collective joy and safety of all children, and water skills are merely a piece of that puzzle.
How did you first learn about Tankproof?
One rainy day in New Orleans back in 2022, we were enjoying a drink on the front porch of Hotel Saint Vincent and struck up a conversation with a fellow Austinite. That Austinite happened to be Torrence of THEBROSFRESH. Despite being in one of the greatest cities in the world, we ended up chatting about Austin food, culture, and politics. We asked him what brought him to New Orleans and that's when we found out he had a twin brother who he was in a band with. They had just played at Hotel Saint Vincent the day before at an event that benefited their organization, Tankproof. We loved the mission so much that when we got home a couple of days later, we signed up to become monthly donors!
What’s your favorite water memory?
This past summer, we had the most wonderful swim instructor work with our two young children. She was patient, kind, funny, and incredibly energetic. Something clicked for our oldest, and by the end of the summer, she was swimming laps in an incredibly lengthy pool. While our youngest is still a fan of staying close to the steps, he grew to enjoy "fishing" for toys on the bottom step and truly mastered getting himself to the side of the pool. Yes, we've both had fantastic days out on lakes or oceans or pools with stunning views, but nothing beats watching your kids learn a new skill.
What do you hope kids gain from learning to swim through Tankproof?
Aside from the skills needed to stay safe, we hope kids build confidence in the water. This confidence, anchored in water skills, can become generational and potentially change the trajectory of familial relationships with bodies of water. That said, we also hope they have fun and experience joy while splashing about on special Tankproof swim days!
Any words you’d like to share with our Tankproof community?
Invest in your local community! If you're able to, find a handful of grassroots organizations committed to humanizing day-to-day life for your neighbors, and financially or physically support them. Our collective future depends on everyone feeling safe, welcome, loved, fed, and hopeful.
ROOTED IN COMMUNITY
Thank you for being part of this community and for believing in the work we’re doing together. This month, we’re especially grateful for Emily and Brian of the Smith-Buster family, whose continued support reflects the care and heart behind Tankproof. Support like theirs and yours makes a real difference, and we’re thankful to be doing this together.
