United Way Partners With The Ford Foundation in Boost America!

A study released in the fall of 2001 showed only 19% of Oklahoma children were properly secured in booster seats while riding in the family car. While 90% of parents and caregivers of children ages 4-8 in Oklahoma had either heard or read about booster seats, most did not have enough information to know when or how to use them safely.

To help solve this problem, United Way of Central Oklahoma and Boost America! partnered to accomplish the following:

1. Gave Toys “R” Us vouchers for free booster seats to Ford customers statewide.
2. Distributed 1,000 free booster seats through United Way to pre-screened, income-eligible families at events in central Oklahoma on Saturday, November 17, 2001.
3. Sent educational materials featuring Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and Nickelodeon’s Blue to all Oklahoma preschools and elementary schools.
4. Pushed for sensible, state-level booster-seat laws.

Sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Boost America! is a national program and is the largest child passenger safety campaign in history. The campaign is giving away one million free booster seats across the nation.

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