KID FY 2019 Annual Report
JUNE 2018 – MAY 2019
Dear KID Friends & Supporters
Dear KID friends and supporters,
We are excited this year to present our first online annual report. This will allow you to easily see KID’s progress as you scroll through the photos and reports.
Last year as we marked our 20th Anniversary we shared these goals with you:
- Keeping families safer by getting product safety information to them sooner.
- Ensure manufacturers are doing their part to sell safe products and effectively recall those that are found to be unsafe.
- Build our coalition of advocates and partners to create safer environments for children.
As you read through this report, you’ll see the work we’ve done to protect children as they sleep and play; research analyzing recalls and hazardous products and our program outreach to strengthen our network to keep children safe.
We’d love to hear from you about KID’s progress and how we can increase our impact and carry out our mission. Please reach out to us and consider a donation to keep our efforts strong.
Nancy CowlesExecutive Director
Shawn KassermanPresident
KID Mission & Focus
Kids In Danger (KID) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children by fighting for product safety.
KID was founded by the parents of Danny Keysar who was killed by a poorly designed recalled portable crib in his child care home.
View More Family VoicesOur mission is to save lives by enhancing transparency and accountability through safer product development, better education and stronger advocacy for children.
Advocacy
Advocacy has always been at the core of KID’s mission. As a voice for parents, KID speaks to regulators, policymakers, media and other organizations about making products safer. KID works to increase transparency of product safety information, improve recall effectiveness, address emerging hazards, and encourage strong compliance activities.
Big Data and Tech
New technology and resources allow us to use big data to gain insight into consumer experience with products, including potential hazards. Our goal is to use big data to 1) identify problems based on trends before they become issues and 2) identify safety issues and make them accessible to parents and providers.
Design Safety
KID works with universities on project-based learning to integrate design safety into the curriculum. We are beginning to reach product designers, marketers and engineers with our toolkit to integrate safety from the beginning and throughout the process.
Public Education & Outreach
KID remains true to our goal of providing parents and caregivers with the tools they need to keep children safe. KID is forming new connections and strengthening existing partnerships to distribute our materials through new and more efficient pathways.
KID Board of Directors
June 2018 to May 2019
KID Staff
Nancy CowlesExecutive Director
Dev GowdaAssistant Director
Natalija KosicAdministrative AssistantYoung Professional Board
UChicago Work Study
KID Volunteers and Interns
By the Numbers
1,250 +
volunteer hours ($31,788 value)+
829 =
work study hours ($17,135 value)=
2,079
total hours $48,923 valueThe Year in Action
A KID Report: 2018 Children’s Product Recalls
KID releases a yearly report analyzing children’s product recalls from the previous year. This year’s report revealed the number of children’s product recalls in 2018 (52 recalls) decreased 44% from 2017 (93 recalls), the lowest in at least 10 years. Nursery products accounted for the largest group (25%) of children's products recalled in 2018. This is troubling because caregivers specifically purchase nursery products to keep children safe while sleeping, traveling and eating. While the CPSC has stated that one child dies every 11 days from a furniture or TV tip-over, there were no recalls in 2018 for furniture tip-over hazards. Both the CPSC and manufacturers used Facebook to publicize recalls at lower rates in 2018 compared to 2017. CPSC posted only 45% of 2018 children's products recalls on its Facebook page—a sharp decrease from 75% in 2017, the first year CPSC used Facebook. Of the 48 companies who issued recalls in 2018, only 31% were announced on the company’s Facebook page, down from 51% in 2017. KID urged CPSC and manufacturers to do a more effective job in getting dangerous recalled products out of homes.
2018 Product Recalls by Category
Social Media and Companies Responsible for 2018 Recalls
In FY 2019, KID distributed OVER 6,400 booklets and other safety info including:
in English & Spanish314
Advocacy Spotlight
Outreach Gallery
KID provided 120 health care providers, child care providers and parents with our “Creating Safe Environments” and “Safe Sleep” workshops and reached 1,200 families at fairs and outreach events throughout Chicagoland including:
- Tuesday’s Child
- Simpson Academy
- Westchester Child Care Network
- Family Focus Lawndale
- 4C Community Coordinated Childcare
- Rush Pediatric Primary Care Center
- CPS Healthy Kids Resource Fair
- Illini Health Care Fair
- Berwyn Health Fair
- Lincoln Bellwood Expo
Designing for Safety: From the Classroom to the Marketplace
KID continued our Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) Program in university engineering departments. Students at Northwestern University’s Segal Design Institute took a closer look at two products associated with injuries—strollers and bedroom dressers. The teams researched injury patterns, spoke to users throughout the process and developed prototypes to address known hazards. As the pictures show, the dresser teams came up with unique solutions to a tipping dresser and the stroller group addressed braking, stability and pinch point hazards.
In addition, KID’s board set as a strategic goal, working towards a program to reach entrepreneurs and small companies with design safety materials and insights to increase the safety of products entering the market.
Financial FY19
Summary of Financial Position as of May 31, 2019
Assets
Summary of Revenues & Expenses
Net Assets Support
Liabilities & Net Assets
Expenses
Summary of Expenses
Sources of Support
Best Friend Award Night
Each year, KID commemorates our progress, honors the memory of Danny Keysar and other victims of unsafe children’s products and highlights the contributions of child safety champions.
The KID Best Friend Award Night brings together community leaders, safety advocates, families and KID supporters. The funds raised at this event allow us to continue our valuable outreach and provide a strong voice for safety.
KID held its annual BFA Night on April 30, 2019, at Galleria Marchetti in Chicago, where guests were treated to small plates from amazing Chicago chefs, a live auction, and a moving speech by honoree Nicole Hughes. This year, KID honored parent advocates Nicole & Jonathan Hughes, and Morgan & Bode Miller, who lost young children to drowning. In honor of their children, both families have devoted their efforts to educating the public about pool safety and the dangers of water hazards by sharing life-saving resources.
Thank You to Our Generous Donors!
Champions ($15,000+)
Defenders ($10,000-$14,999)
Protectors ($5,000-$9,999)
Heroes ($2,500-$4,999)
Advocates ($1,000-$2,499)
Sustainers ($500-$999)
Foundation Grants
In-Kind Donations
Matching Gifts Companies
Workplace Giving Campaigns
Guardians ($250-$499)
Allies ($100-$249)
Supporters ($1-$99)
Auction & Raffle Prize Donors
We Need You!
Read below for ways that you can get involved and help KID fight for product safety
Tell Your Story
KID only learns of some dangerous products from families whose children have experienced an incident with a hazardous product, or in the worst cases, been injured or killed—please share with KID your experience with products. We can help you make an impact on product safety for today’s children.
Advocate
KID is the voice for parents in standards setting, CPSC hearings, and every day as we work to make products safer. Add your voice by joining our KID Action Team to receive monthly emails to take action in your community to protect children. Together we are stronger.
Volunteer or Intern
KID is a small but mighty organization. Our volunteers and interns expand our work to have a real impact. Come into the office and help, work remotely on a special project or volunteer at our events. We need great people like you. Pass our message to potential interns that you may know.
Support
KID would not be here without the support of people like you who want to see change and a safer world. Make a one-time gift, join our GEM (Give Every Month) Club for sustaining support, make a planned gift, or give in other ways.
Join Our Board
Be a leader at KID. Bring your skills, expertise, and networks to our Executive Board or support KID and gain valuable board experience on our Young Professional Board. Contact us for more information.