KID FY 2020 Annual Report
JUNE 2019 – MAY 2020
Dear KID Friends & Supporters
Dear KID friends and supporters,
The fiscal year covered by this report ended on May 31, 2020—a little over two months into the stay-at-home orders and as the impact of COVID-19 was becoming evident. As you’ll read and see below, KID’s work continued as we began to work remotely and had to postpone our KID’s Best Friend Award Night, which was later held in October—virtually.
Our commitment to protecting children by fighting for product safety stayed strong. We pivoted to online webinars to give parents and caregivers the tools they need to keep children safe and kept up our efforts to promote the development of safer products and increase transparency and accountability through KID’s strong advocacy for all our children.
KID was humbled to receive a generous donation from the family of Josef Dudek as part of the family’s settlement with IKEA. Josef died in 2017 when an IKEA dresser tipped over on him. This will power our advocacy on furniture stability into the future and support of parents and organizations such as Parents Against Tip-overs (PAT). It will lead to safer furniture—and safer homes for children.
2020 has been a strange year but KID’s lifesaving work fighting for children’s product safety has continued through it all. Keep scrolling and learn more about our efforts and progress – thanks to your support.
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.
Since it’s founding, KID has focused on supporting and empowering parents whose children have been injured or killed by dangerous products. In February 2020, in conjunction with the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization Symposium, KID pulled together consumer advocates along with parents to begin to build a stronger voice to advocate for children.
Our mission is to save lives by enhancing transparency and accountability through safer product development, better education and stronger advocacy for children.
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 VoicesAdvocacy
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 2019 to May 2020
KID Staff
Nancy CowlesExecutive Director
Dev GowdaAssistant Director
Natalija KosicAdministrative AssistantYoung Professionals Board
In August 2019, nearly 40 people attended KID’s Young Professionals Board (YPB) summer fundraiser, #KickBackWithKID. The YP Board’s mission is to engage and encourage other Chicago area young professionals to share resources, time, and talent to support KID. The event raised over $2,000 and attendees enjoyed great raffle prizes and our wine toss game, along with food and beverages at a beautiful restaurant veranda in Chicago’s Loop – all while learning more about KID. Contact KID if you are interested in joining the YPB.
Young Professionals Board
Work Study, Interns and Volunteers
By the Numbers
1,824+
volunteer hours ($46,385 value)+
1,271=
work study hours ($26,271 value)=
3,095
total hours $72,656 valueHow Interns and Volunteers Spend Their Time
The Year in Action
Seeking Safety: 2019 Children’s Product Recalls
This year’s Children’s Product Recalls report released in March 2020 revealed data for 58 recalls that took place in 2019, a slight 11.5% increase from 52 in 2018. 2019 saw the highest number of children deaths (38) in 19 years of KID’s work, 37 of which were related to the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play and Kids II inclined sleepers, recalled years after the first incidents. Note that the number of deaths related to inclined sleepers has increased since the time of the recall. KID’s research also found that furniture recalls are on the rise, with 10 recalls in 2019, causing one tip-over-related death. Social media usage for recall postings remains low, with only 52% of children’s product recalls posted on the CPSC’s Facebook page, 59% on Twitter and merely 5% on Instagram. KID recommends policymakers ban and recall all inclined sleepers and to establish mandatory dresser standards to prevent tip-overs. Additionally, we urge the CPSC and recalling companies to better publicize recalls on social media to keep parents informed.
Infant Inclined Sleepers Lead to High Number of Deaths Before Recall
CPSC Social Media Usage for Recalls Remains Low
Percentage of Recalls Posted on Social Media by Recalling Companies Remains Low
In FY 2020, KID distributed OVER 5,100 booklets and other safety info including:
Advocacy Spotlight
Outreach Gallery
KID provided 425 health care providers, child care providers and parents with our Creating Safe Environments and Safe Sleep in-person and virtual workshops and reached 980 families at fairs and outreach events throughout Illinois and virtually including:
- Rush Hospital & University
- Simpson Academy
- Illinois Head Start Association 2020 Conference
- Naperville Early Childhood Resource Fair
- Bellwood Early Childhood Center Community Expo
- Berwyn Health & Fitness Fair
- Family Wellness & Back to School Fair (Belmont Cragin, Chicago)
- Family Health & Fitness Fair (Douglas, Chicago)
- Molina Healthcare of Illinois Baby Shower (Aurora, IL)
- Look What Parents Can Do Conference and Fair (Pilsen, Chicago)
- Back to School Health Fair (Hermosa, Chicago)
- Rush University Preemie Picnic, Chicago
- Good Shepherd Center (Hazel Crest, IL)
- Virtual Safe From the Start Presentations for providers, health professionals, parents, au pairs
KID Looks to Universities for Design Solutions for Safety
KID continued its efforts in the Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) Program, collaborating with university engineering departments. One team of students at Northwestern University’s Segal Design Institute took a closer look at bedroom dressers which pose a threat to small children given their potential to tip over. The team researched and analyzed different dresser morphology and anchoring strategies. Their final design had a low center of gravity making it less prone to tip-overs and a mechanism that prevented the bottom most drawer from being opened by small children.
KID Design Safety Toolkit
KID is focusing efforts on preventing injuries with a key initiative to develop a Design Safety Toolkit for entrepreneurs and small or start-up companies. Our goal is to reach product designers, marketers, and engineers with the toolkit to integrate safety from the beginning and throughout the product development process. This involves understanding consumer behavior, being able to predict consumer use patterns, and tools to analyze, evaluate and anticipate potential hazards while still in the design phase. The first step was to pull together an Advisory Committee with a breadth of knowledge and experience. This kicked off in early 2020. Work is continuing with the toolkit release planned for mid-2021.
Recall.it Browser Extension
A second project to give consumers more information about products they may buy for their families is a Google Chrome Browser Extension that will allow consumers to view recalls, safety information and more while shopping on various online sites. The original prototype was given to KID by two Virginia Tech students. Now, with support from a board committee, programming and development support from Simply-bi, and a great team of volunteers, Recall.it is reaching Beta test status.
Financial FY20
Summary of Financial Position as of May 31, 2020
Assets
Liabilities & Net Assets
Summary of Revenues & Expenses
Net Assets Support
Expenses
Summary of Expenses
Sources of Support
Wine Tasting Fundraiser
On October 15, 2019, KID’s Board of Directors and Young Professionals Board hosted our second annual fall wine tasting fundraising event. KID supporters enjoyed wine samplings and light bites as we celebrated KID’s achievements in the beautiful Maya Romanoff Showroom at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.
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. You can work remotely on projects or help with our virtual events. We need great people like you. Pass our message to potential volunteers or 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 Professionals Board. Contact us for more information.