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DOT goes for the gold in 2012 Feds Feed Families effort

This summer marks the fourth year of the government-wide Feds Feed Families program. This 40-agency effort supports food banks in the national capital region and around the country with donations from federal employees.

During the first three years, Feds Feed Families collected more than 8 million pounds of food, with last year's contributions alone totaling more than 5.7 million pounds. This year, the theme is "Beat your best," and at DOT that's exactly what we hope to do.

 

Although many Americans give generously to food banks during the fall and winter, there is also a strong need during the summer. In particular, food banks are often asked to fill the gap left by seasonal school closings.  Since many children receive free and reduced price meals at their schools, summer vacation adds to the challenges struggling families face.

Here in Washington, DC, the Capital Area Food Bank receives our federal donations and distributes them through their network of over 700 partner agencies. In DC alone, more than 70 percent of school-age children receive free or reduced price meals in their schools. In the larger national capital region, we're still talking about nearly 40 percent of local children. That's the need our federal employees are trying to meet.

And DOT is proud to be doing its part. Last year, the public servants of this Department contributed more than 54,000 pounds of food. This year, we've set our sights higher by 10 percent: 60,000 pounds.

I know we can achieve and surpass that target.

And one of the ways our volunteers try to raise awareness and participation is through the annual DOT Can Contest.

Child heatstroke prevention depends on adults

Since early April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been working hard to protect our nation's most vulnerable passengers--young children--from the dangers of heatstroke.

Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle related deaths for children under the age of 14, with at least 33 fatalities reported in 2011 alone. NHTSA's first-ever national campaign to prevent child heatstroke in cars seeks to save lives and spare America's families the heartache of a tragic loss.

As part of this nationwide effort, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland is in Raleigh, North Carolina today bringing this important safety campaign to the Wake Tech Public Safety Education campus, an innovative facility that trains fire and rescue personnel, EMS technicians, and others.

Safety is DOT's highest priority, and the safety of children is a special area of concern for this agency and this administration. So last year NHTSA intensified its involvement with a first-of-its-kind heatstroke roundtable and a series of town hall discussions in the states worst hit by heatstroke fatalities.

This year NHTSA is delivering on its promise to bring safety advocates, industry experts, and health and law enforcement professionals together for its public education campaign: "Where's baby? Look Before You Lock."

So far this summer, NHTSA has visited Texas, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Louisiana to raise awareness of the threat heatstroke presents.