First 5 Contra Costa has been awarded nearly $140,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to help keep young children safer in cars, the agency announced. The funding, granted through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will support free car seats, safety education, and trained technician support for families with children ages 0–5.
The new grant will be used to train more First 5 staff as certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians, expand community outreach, and provide one-on-one car seat checkups to ensure seats are installed correctly. The program runs through September 2026.
“Every child deserves to be safe in the car,” said Dr. Ruth Fernández, executive director of First 5 Contra Costa. The agency says the funding will help reach families who face economic, language, or access barriers to obtaining and using correct child safety seats.
First 5 Contra Costa already provides car seats and safety information through its five Family Resource Centers in San Pablo, Concord, Pittsburg, Antioch, and Brentwood. With declines in local tobacco tax revenue — a major funding source — this new grant helps ensure ongoing access to safety resources for families throughout the county.
For more information, contact Brian Kelley, Communications Specialist, First 5 Contra Costa at (925) 771-7325 or [email protected].
