Ensuring that children are safely — and correctly — buckled into child protective seats has become a mission for Sampson County’s Partnership for Children.

It is a mission that has brought with it an increased demand for the seats and an even greater need to keep supplies replenished, an often financially taxing effort but one that has yet to see one person seeking a seat go home empty-handed.

According to Melinda Holland, community awareness project coordinator for the local Partnership, during the first quarter of this year, the group has given out 142 seats, a 47 percent increase over the 62 seats provided during the same period in 2008.

“It’s amazing, really, how great the demand has been,” Holland said.

That demand includes the need for car seat safety checks, something the Partnership provides through its Buckle-up Program and often with assistance from the Sampson County Sheriff’s Department or the N.C. Highway Patrol.

“We do child passenger seat clinics quarterly throughout the community, and we also hold them when there is a demand,” Holland said, like when the group was called to St. Martin’s Migrant Head Start near Newton Grove recently, a clinic that brought out a lot of concerned parents who left, some with car seats in hand, feeling more secure about their child’s safety.

With the demand at an all-time high, Holland said, efforts have been ramped up recently to include monthly clinics through the Buckle-Up program, which does two things — allows for use of the N.C. Safe Kids van and a supply of car seats that prevents the Partnerships inventory from being depleted.

“We’ve been so low lately because of the demand that any time we can get the Safe Kids van, we try to do it.”

The Partnership also handles walk-in services whenever the need arises. While that isn’t recommended, Partnership officials say they will never turn anyone away that needs help.

“Our job is to make sure those babies are safely buckled into their seats. We aren’t going to turn anyone away ... ever,” Holland said.

Although the Buckle-Up Program is geared to help every parent, no matter their socio-ecomomic status, Holland did point out that there had been an increased number of Latino parents utilizing the service.

“I think that’s because we’ve increased our Latino outreach so much in the last few months. We have a new radio show where we promote the program and the need to have children properly buckled up, and we have been participating in meetings with the local Migrant Head Start. Both these things have increased awareness.”

In addition, the Partnership also takes referrals from the county’s Department of Social Services.

The outreach coupled with promotion of the program has achieved the Partnership’s goal of reaching parents with the message that it’s vital to properly buckle their children up.

And that has led to the rapid depletion of the seats.

According to Holland, about 85 percent of the seats the Partnership staff check aren’t situated in vehicles correctly; others aren’t suitable for a child to use.

Then there are families who come in without a seat at all.

While the Partnership charges a minimal fee of $20 to $40 per seat, far less than the retail value, they also never refuse to provide a seat, even if the person requesting it cannot pay.

“If there’s a need, that child will leave with a proper seat,” Holland said.

In most cases, she pointed out, those seeking a seat will pay something. “You hardly ever see someone come in without being willing to pay something. Some people will say they’ll bring money back when they get paid, and they do. Sometimes it will be $5 at a time, but they always pay.

The money the Partnership charges for the seats, Holland is quick to point out, goes right back into the program so more seats can be purchased.

‘"Of course, there’s never enough money. That’s why we seek help from the community and local civic organizations. What they are willing to give helps us keep the program going and the seats provided.”

The mission, Holland said, is simply because the group and Partnership executive director Victoria Byrd are highly committed to ensuring a child’s safety.

“Victoria feels very strongly that the Buckle-Up Program is the number one most beneficial program we provide in the community.”

Byrd emphasized that the program has been a highly effective one for parents and caregivers, alike.

“Research conducted by Safe Kids USA shows that the education parents receive at sponsoring Buckle-up agencies, like the Partnership, along with state and local events, keep children safer in vehicles. In addition, Safe Kids also found that parents successfully changed their behavior and retained their child passenger safety knowledge after receiving hands-on instruction. The impact this program makes in Sampson County is a crucial piece when preventing unintentional injuries to our youngest citizens.

Highway Patrol First Sgt. D.L. Hewitt said awareness was the key, something the Partnership has done well.

“Just getting that awarness out there is vital. When we can get our guys out there helping and showing everyone the proper way to do things helps everyone ... we just appreciate the efforts and team work that comes with the Partnership’s commitment.”