The UC Davis Injury and Trauma Prevention Program has received a grant for $306,381 from Kohl's Cares® to support its child and adolescent injury prevention efforts in the Sacramento region.
UC Davis' Injury and Trauma Prevention Program provides bike helmets and other safety equipment for children from underserved families. View proper bike helmet fitting video.
Kohl's Cares® will formally present the donation at the UC Davis Health System's free Summer Concert on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m.
The gift will support the UC Davis Children's Hospital Kohl's Buckle Up to Grow Up program, which provides car seats, bicycle helmets and life jackets and safety education for children from underserved families. Since 2005, Kohl's Cares has donated more than $1.7 million to UC Davis Children's Hospital, to improve child health in the Sacramento region.
"Kohl's Cares® has been an important partner in our childhood injury prevention efforts in Sacramento" said Christy Adams, coordinator of the injury and trauma prevention program. "Many families are struggling to make ends meet, and buying safety equipment is often a low priority. The UC Davis Kohl's Buckle Up to Grow Up program plays an essential role in filling these childhood safety gaps in our community and we are grateful to Kohl's for their continuing support."
The program has seen steady growth through support from the Kohl's Cares® cause merchandise program. Through this initiative, Kohl's sells $5 books and plush toys in its stores, with 100 percent of net profit benefitting children's health and education programs nationwide, including hospital partnerships like the one with UC Davis.
Kohl's has raised more than $208 million through the merchandise program. In addition to the in-store sales, Kohl's Cares® features the Kohl's Cares® Scholarship Program, which last year recognized more than 2,100 young volunteers with a total of $410,000 in scholarships and prizes.
And, through Kohl's Associates in Action volunteer program, more than 500,000 associates have donated more than 1.6 million hours of their time since 2001 and Kohl's has donated more than $47 million to youth-focused nonprofit organizations. Kohl's also offers fundraising gift cards for schools and youth-serving organizations. For more information, visit www.Kohls.com/Cares.
"Preventable injury is the leading cause of death and disability among children in Sacramento," Adams said. "The majority of these injuries can be prevented with education and the proper use of safety equipment like car seats, helmets and life jackets." Last year, the UC Davis Kohl's Buckle Up to Grow Up program gave over 1,400 car seats, 4,500 bicycle helmets, and 800 life jackets to underserved families regionwide.
Adams said the program's success is due in large part to its numerous community partnerships, including family resource centers, area school districts, and community centers in and around the Sacramento region. For more information about the UC Davis Kohl's Buckle Up to Grow Up safety program visit the trauma prevention website at http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/injuryprevention/ or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/buckleup2growup. Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental leadership, Kohl's operates 1,134 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl's has raised more than $208 million for children's initiatives nationwide through its Kohl's Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com, or join the discussion on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kohls or Twitter http://twitter.com/Kohls.