| ST. CHARLES, MO — Crisis Nursery St. Charles was awarded a $3,900 child passenger safety grant to purchase new car seats for low-income families who benefit from the agency’s child abuse and neglect prevention services. Funding was provided by Children’s Trust Fund of Missouri and St. Charles County Community and Children’s Resource Board (CCRB).
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), auto accidents are the number one killer of children 1- to 12-years-old in the United States. In 2009, an estimated 309 toddlers, aged 4 and under, were saved because of proper child restraints.1 DiAnne Mueller, Crisis Nursery St. Charles chief executive officer, said the agency will ensure children who receive a car seat donation are properly fitted to comply with Missouri’s Child Restraint Law, requiring all children under the age of eight to be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat unless they are 80 lbs. or 4 feet 9 inches tall. “Family safety in the car is critical, especially during an emergency or crisis,” said Mueller. “We teach our parents to always take precaution. Properly using a car seat is another way of advocating for their child’s safety and wellness.” The new car seats will be divided among parents whose children are in Nursery care, parents enrolled in the Family Empowerment Program, which provides parenting education, and assist with transportation to the Nursery’s Stay-At-Home Parent Education Groups. # # #
Crisis Nursery St. Charles, a United Way agency, is committed to preventing child abuse and neglect by offering real help and real hope to families in crisis. Crisis Nursery is an independent, not-for-profit agency and annually provides short-term, safe havens to more than 7,000 children, birth through age 12, whose families are faced with an emergency or crisis. The Crisis Nursery provides care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at five sites, serving families throughout greater St. Louis, St. Charles, Southern Illinois and surrounding regions. Since 1986, the Crisis Nursery has cared for more than 77,000 children, and provided support and counseling to more than 94,000 families. For details, call (314) 292-5770 or visit www.crisisnurserykids.org. For the Crisis Nursery St. Charles 24-hour helpline, call (636) 947-0600. For the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery 24-hour helpline, call (314) 768-3201. 1 Lives Saved in 2009 by Restraint Use and Minimum Drinking Age Laws Report |
Source: Crisi Nursery News