10/06/2007
A Message From the President.......
A special thanks to all of our Associate Members, Grant makers and Donors for helping us provide over 300,000 smoke alarms and numerous carbon monoxide alarms, replacement batteries and other safety devices from January 1, 2004-June 30, 2007 for needy residents throughout the county. Your efforts in helping to save lives through fire safety prevention education is highly commended and needs to continue.
Even with all of our efforts and the efforts of other agencies, far to many children and seniors were injured or killed in residential fires in the United States according to new reports released by the United States Fire Administration. Most of these deaths were preventable. You can get more detailed information or copies of their reports by going to. www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/reports/pubs/tfrs.shtm (or www.firesafety.gov.)
Since 1990, our major focus in implementing programs has targeted children and seniors - the two highest risk groups of injuries and deaths due to the tragedy of fire. For a number of years we have also focused on the deaf and hard of hearing population. Our Nationwide Deaf and Hard of Hearing Impaired program continued (based on a successful pilot program started in Western New York in May 2000.
In the fall/winter of 2004, 585 deaf children in 6 Southeastern States under the age of 14 were provided free strobe smoke alarms for their bedroom. Local fire departments visited 7 state schools for the deaf to demonstrate a fire safety presentation. The partnership included: Mississippi School for the Deaf (Jackson Fire Department), South Carolina School for the Deaf (Croft Fire District), Kentucky School for the Deaf (Danville Fire Department), Tennessee School for the Deaf (City of Knoxville Fire Department), Alabama School for the Deaf (Talladega Fire Department), North Carolina Eastern School for the Deaf (Wilson Fire And Rescue Services). A grant received form FEMA/USFA Homeland Security covered 70% of the funding needed to implement this life-saving program.
A mother and her children were alerted to a kitchen fire in Jackson, MS From their newly installed strobe smoke alarm gift. There is no greater measure of the success of a program than saved lives. Even if one life is saved it is worth all of our efforts.
We were also able to help many of you receive grants from FEMA/USFA in your fire prevention/smoke alarm giveaway efforts. Congratulations to all who qualified and received recent grants. Please e-mail or send us information on the programs you have implemented - pictures would be great for our newsletters! Updated information is also needed for our mailing data base.
Foundation Accomplishments
AWARDS RECEIVED:
The Children's Fire & Burn Fund was awarded "The Independent Charities Seal of Excellence". This Seal demonstrates on an annual basis and after a rigorous independent review the Children"s Fire & Burn Fund meets the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today it is estimated that fewer than 50,000 or 5 %, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.
The Children's Fire & Burn Fund was also awarded a special Citation from Niagara County Legislators for our 16 years of work in fire prevention education and our efforts in saving lives. Conducted a number of TV talk show interviews and national radio interview.
IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS:
840 Kindergarten and First Grade students in the Clarence Central School District received free smoke alarms and fire safety education in the Fall of 2005. The Children's Fire & Burn Fund partnered with the Harris Hill, Clarence Center, Swormville Volunteer Fire Companies, Eastern Hills Sunrise Rotary Club and five elementary schools. In 2006, 422 Kindergarten received free smoke alarms. 420 1st grade students received a special "Hero's Fire Safety Activity Packaged" purchased by the Eastern Hills Sunrise Rotary club.
In 2005, we year partnered with the Akron Fire Department and the Lions and Lioness Club of Akron to provide 130 children and their families free smoke alarms and fire prevention education and 140 children in 2006.
Approximately 75 preschool children and their families participated in the Annual Safety Town conducted by the Junior Service League of Lockport. Among other important safety issues, they were all provided free smoke alarms for their homes.
Continued to support the on-going newborn smoke alarm giveaway program for families residing in the Town of Tonawanda, Village of Kenmore, Cities of Tonawanda and N. Tonawanda.
In May 2006, sixty-six Niagara County Head Start children and their families received free smoke alarms and fire prevention education through a partnership with Niagara Falls Fire Department, Niagara Dare Devils and the new Geraldine A. Donovan Early Childhood Center.
In June 2006, 275 handicapped children and their families received free smoke alarms and fire safety education at 2 Cantalician Center for Learning sites. Eggertsville VFC and the Buffalo Fire Prevention Bureau did presentations at each school.
In 2005 and 2006 in Western New York, efforts were made to find funding to continue a smoke alarm giveaway program targeting Seniors through Meals On Wheels volunteers and 60 deaf and hard of hearing residents.
Participated in various safety days throughout the year, as well as, conducted various raffles and numerous small fundraisers to continue our efforts in saving lives.
FINANCIALS: Our charity Administrative expense audited for 2005 was only 13%. Well below the national charity average.
2006 990 available by end of April 2007.
Sincerely,
Michelle Destino-Moran, President
P.S. Please share your program information with us. Your comments are extremely important to us.
I wish all lf you a happy, healthy, successful 2005 have a great summer and a successful October Fire Prevention Month!
S.A.F.E. = Smoke Alarm
For Every - Home For
more information contact the National S.A.F.E. Home Foundation at.
Phone:
1-800-877-1250 or 716-692-8744
Fax:
716-692-8755
E-mail: michelle@safehome.org
Address:
1333 Strad Ave. Suite118 North
Tonawanda, New York 14120-3061