North Central Health District

Safe Kids Central Georgia Receives Car Seat Mini Grant

Posted January 19, 2024 by Michael Hokanson

Mini Grant Awarded by DPH Injury Prevention Program

The Macon-Bibb County Health Department (MBCHD) received a Car Seat Mini Grant for the 2024 calendar year, provided through the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Injury Prevention Program as part of their Child Occupant Safety Project (COSP). Each month, the mini grant gives six convertible car seats and four booster seats to MBCHD’s Safe Kids Central Georgia Coalition, allowing the organization to continue its extensive car seat distribution program to low-income families.

“The Car Seat Mini Grant helps families in need receive life-saving equipment for their children. Without this grant, many children in the county would be in danger due to the lack of access to proper safety equipment,” said Abbie Price, Safe Kids Central Georgia Coordinator and Health Educator.

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car seat use reduces the risk of injury in a car crash by 71-82% for children, when compared with seat belt use alone. Car seats must be installed correctly to provide the maximum benefit; however, nearly three out of every four car seats are not used properly.

To meet the needs of the community, MBCHD partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide to create the Safe Kids Central Georgia Coalition. The Coalition is dedicated to keeping children safe by offering much needed services such as car-seat checkups, safety workshops, and education on car seat usage, laws, and safety. Eligible families can receive education and seats for free if certain criteria are met.

Recently, two MBCHD team members became Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians, giving the organization the ability to distribute more car seats, provide more safety education, and qualify for another year of grant funding.

For more information on the Car Seat Mini Grant, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health’s COSP page at dph.georgia.gov/health-topics/injury-prevention-program/child-occupant-safety-project-cosp.

To learn more about the Safe Kids Central Georgia Coalition services, please call Macon-Bibb County Health Department at 478-749-0144 or follow the program at facebook.com/safekidscga. For more information about Safe Kids Worldwide, visit SafeKids.org.