Families and individuals who attended the care fair on Saturday were able to receive free vaccines, free bike helmets, and free car seats, thanks to the efforts of Salt Lake City’s Junior League and Nomi Health.
Deborah Jimenez brought some of her children to the event to get new car seats. She had recently washed one of their seats, but then learned from the national child passenger safety education organization, Buckle Up For Life, that certain cleaning chemicals could weaken the seat. In order to ensure their safety, she wanted a new car seat.
“I know that I won’t be moving it out of the car, and I could trust that she’s going to be safe. And I just it makes me feel really good to know that my child will be safe,” said Jimenez.
Amel Mayoul is another parent who received a car seat at the event and said the event is important because it helps people who may not have the money to meet all their children’s needs.
“It’s very important to keep the child in the car seat, especially a new car seat too,” said Mayoul. “Because you never know what can happen when you’re in the car.”
According to June Steely the Nomi Health Medical Director, clinics like this are a regular occurrence in the Salt Lake area.
“We’ve been doing this every year for 27 years, and there’s been a real need, since there haven’t been any free car seat clinics because of the pandemic for the last eighteen months or so,” said Steely. “And so there’s been a real need in the community for car seats.”
Almost all of the the 150 car seats available at the clinic were distributed, according to Steely. The excess car seats will be handed out in another clinic in August.
