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by Jessica Ennis
photo by Dana Johnson
In March, the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt opened an innovative hospital-based safety store called Kohl's Safety Central. Safety Central, the only one of its kind in the state, offers affordable safety resources and education for parents such as car seats, bicycle helmets, outlet covers and oven guards.
Another component of the store is called "Safe Escape." Through Safe Escape, child safety experts at Children's Hospital offer families of children with disabilities and special health care needs education, information and equipment to prepare for safe escape during emergencies. Devices such as mats to evacuate wheelchair-bound children and vibrating smoke detectors are available for purchase at a low cost.
Ford Motor Company's philanthropic arm, the Ford Motor Company Fund, has provided a $25,000 grant to the Safe Escape program. Ford has long supported auto safety and other safety efforts in communities throughout the nation and has continued its commitment even through the economic downturn.
"Safe Escape is an important resource for the entire community, and we are happy to continue our support of the vital work of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt," said Rebecca Bunting, community relations specialist at the Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "In both good times and in bad, we are committed to the people in communities where Ford Motor Company operates. We have been investing in Nashville for many years, and plan to be an important corporate citizen in the community going forward."
Ford has supported other safety initiatives at Children's Hospital in the past, including a public service announcement competition in area high schools to educate teens on safe driving, as part of their "Ford Driving Skills for Life" program. Including the latest grant, Ford has provided more than $80,000 in recent years for Children's Hospital programs.
"We are so thankful to Ford for supporting our efforts to help improve the safety of children, particularly those with disabilities, through our Safe Escape program," said Mary Kate Mouser, director of Children's Health Improvement and Prevention at Children's Hospital.
The store is located in the Junior League Family Resource Center.
"Safety Central is a logical enhancer to the education and interventions currently offered," Mouser said. "We have been selling child passenger safety seats in our gift shop for years and have been looking for a way to expand our product line to other safety items."
Safety Central will collaborate with many area and Vanderbilt entities, including local fire departments and sheriff's offices, the Committee on Pediatric Emergency Care, First Steps of Nashville, Children's Hospital's Trauma and Pediatric Emergency departments and others.
Children's Hospital was one of six children's hospitals selected to receive a $100,000 grant from the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) to create the store.
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