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Local organizations partner to supply car seats to families in need

Interior Health and South Cariboo Health Foundation partner for BCCA Child Car Seat Program
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Interior Health and the South Cariboo Health Foundation have been able to provide families with car seats through the BCCA Community Child Car Seat program. The organizations received a grant of $800 to purchase as many car seats as they could. Ryan Wells was one of the three children to receive a booster seat. Interior Health photo.

Interior Health and the South Cariboo Health Foundation have partnered to support families in need with car seats.

Through the BCCA (British Columbia Car Association) Community Child Car Seat program, the two organizations received a grant of $800 to purchase as many car seats as they could.

“We needed this sort of support,” said Virginia Bowman, a public health nurse for Interior Health. “So, the South Cariboo Health Foundation partnered with us for the application and so we could receive a couple of car seats.”

Bowman said the grant money helped purchase three booster seats, two infant car seats and two convertible car seats.

“The car seats are going to go to families in need in our community,” Bowman said. “We might reserve one for our fleet vehicle in case a family that doesn’t have a car seat needs to be transported.”

During a two-day kindergarten immunization clinic, families had a chance to enter the draw for the car seats.

“The kids going into kindergarten came and got their shots and the families that came had a chance to put their names in for the draw.”

Three booster seats were raffled off to three different families on June 3.

“Transportation is such an issue around here,” said Bowman. “Almost anywhere a family has to go with a newborn is out of town. Currently, there are no prenatal services in terms of doctor visits and the like. We are hoping to be able to target a little bit of the prenatal population here in 100 Mile because you do have to have a car seat when you leave the hospital.”

Bowman said the families seemed very delighted to receive the car seats.

“We are thankful for the South Cariboo Health Foundation for their support in this program - it is about helping the community as a whole in keeping children safe.”