Kohl’s Hosts Free Car Seat Checks

Training for parents to be provided by Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

PALO ALTO – On Thursday, August 16, Kohl’s Department Stores will host the Maggie Adalyn Otto Safely Home Car Seat Fitting Station at its Campbell store at 525 East Hamilton Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The free training for parents on how to install a car seat properly will be provided by Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

To help promote the safety and health of local children, Kohl’s has donated $80,583 to Packard Children’s this year in support of the fitting station. The commitment is made possible through the Kohl’s Cares for Kids® program, which raises funds for children’s hospitals through the sale of seasonal gift items. Net profits from the sales go to children’s hospitals in the market areas served by Kohl’s.

Safely Home, one of the few programs in California based at a children’s hospital, was initiated after a pilot study at Packard Children’s showed that parents who watch a technician install their child’s car seat are more likely to remember how to do it safely themselves. Packard’s child passenger safety technicians receive intense training provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and have installed more than 5,000 car seats since the program’s inception in November 2004.

“Kohl’s dedication to children’s health enables us to extend our services in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and ensure that more children are safely buckled up,” said Nancy Sanchez, Packard’’s manager of community relations. “We thank Kohl’s for their generosity and commitment to our community.”

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. Child safety seats and safety belts, when installed and used correctly, can prevent injuries and save lives. Yet experts estimate that four out of five car seats are installed incorrectly.

Packard’s station is staffed by a certified technician who will show parents how to properly install car seats and fasten the straps correctly around a child, and will discuss other passenger safety issues such as using cargo nets to safely secure loose items in vans and SUVs. Parents can make an appointment for a car seat fitting during the event by calling (650) 736-2981.

“Kohl’s is proud to partner once again with Packard Children’s Hospital to make free car seat fitting training available to families in our community,” said Jason Bittner, district manager in the San Francisco Bay Area. “We look forward to making these ongoing events at Kohl’s stores throughout the South Bay.”

About Kohl’s Department Stores

Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohls (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. A company committed to the communities it serves, Kohl’s operates 834 stores in 46 states and has raised more than $85 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares for Kids® philanthropic program. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.kohls.com.

About Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital & the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health

Ranked as one of the best pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S.News & World Report and Child magazine, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford is a 264-bed hospital devoted to the care of children and expectant mothers. Providing pediatric and obstetric medical and surgical services and associated with the Stanford University School of Medicine, Packard Children’s offers patients locally, regionally and nationally the full range of health care programs and services – from preventive and routine care to the diagnosis and treatment of serious illness and injury. For more information, visit www.lpch.org. The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health is the fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital and for pediatric programs at the Stanford University School of Medicine. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.lpfch.org.