Program provides safety education and car seats to families throughout Oklahoma.

BETHANY, OK, March 16, 2021 /Neptune100/ — Safe Kids Oklahoma received a $25,000 grant from State Farm Insurance Company to support the continuation and expansion of their Keeping Kids Safe in Cars and on ATVs program in 2021.

Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the #1 killer of Oklahoma children and adolescents ages 1-19. Safe Kids Oklahoma’s purpose is to raise awareness about preventable injuries to families throughout Oklahoma. The education and training of professionals in hospitals, county and state agencies, schools and other organizations create a multifaceted approach to addressing the epidemic of preventable injuries to children.

The Safe Kids Oklahoma program, led by The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital, distributes car seats to needy families, and trains and certifies child passenger safety technicians throughout Oklahoma to properly install car seats. The program also raises awareness of heatstroke and the dangers of leaving a child alone in a hot car, in addition to the importance of ATV safety.

“Since ATVs are a part of everyday life for many children in Oklahoma, the Safe Kids Oklahoma ATV safety program travels to schools throughout the state to educate thousands of students to ride ATVs safely,” explains Kim Gray, Director of Safe Kids Oklahoma at The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital. “As a part of the state’s only pediatric rehabilitation hospital, it is our mission to see that more children grow up to reach their full potential and to avoid tragedies when possible.”

The grant from State Farm will allow Safe Kids Oklahoma to significantly increase the number of Child Passenger Safety Technicians throughout Oklahoma and offer continuing education to recertify technicians. Safe Kids Oklahoma will also partner with local State Farm agents to provide car seat checks and educational safety materials to parents, as well as expanding the program’s ATV safety outreach.

“We are proud to partner with Safe Kids Oklahoma,” said State Farm Corporate Responsibility Analyst Jeff Davis. “The safety of our children should be a number one priority for all, and Safe Kids carries this mission out with a passion we can all be proud of.”

For more information on Safe Kids Oklahoma’s programs and events, go to https://www.miracleshappenhere.org/safe-kids-oklahoma/.

About Safe Kids Oklahoma: Safe Kids Oklahoma provides dedicated and caring staff, operation support and other resources to assist in achieving our common goal: keeping kids safe. We serve the community by implementing evidence-based programs. Safe Kids Oklahoma hosts safety events, conducts workshops in everything from schools to hospitals as we advocate for safety, and distributes materials according to community needs.

About The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital: The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital is an innovative leader in the field of pediatric rehabilitation and 24-hour complex care. The hospital offers inpatient and outpatient services for children (ages 0-21) and is the only inpatient pediatric rehabilitation facility in Oklahoma. Our CARF accredited multidisciplinary team works with patients and their families to maximize the patient’s physical and cognitive potential, and ensure the family has the training and resources needed for a smooth transition from hospital to home.

About State Farm: The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its 19,200 agents and 57,500 employees serve approximately 84 million policies and accounts – which includes auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 36 on the 2020 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.