Hyundai and Banner Children's Continue Partnership to Improve Child Passenger Safety in Arizona

News provided by

Apr 13, 2026, 11:02 ET

$25,000 Hyundai Hope donation expands Banner Children's Car Seat Safety Program
Second-year partnership delivers education-first child passenger safety services across the East Valley

MESA, Ariz., April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America is extending its commitment to child passenger safety in Arizona through a second-year partnership with nonprofit Banner Children's at Desert. The $25,000 Hyundai Hope donation to Banner Children's Car Seat Safety Program will further expand access to car seat safety education and installation services for families across the East Valley.

A child is properly secured in a car seat during a car seat safety demonstration at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Ariz., on April 8, 2026. (Photo/Hyundai)

(left to right) Rick Brown, aftersales market manager, western region, Hyundai Motor America, Shannon Fleischman, senior development coordinator, Banner Health Foundation, Tracey Fejt, RN, trauma outreach and injury prevention coordinator, Banner Children’s at Desert, Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor North America, Laura Robertson, CEO, Banner Desert Medical Center, Anthony Ani, MD, chief medical officer, Banner Desert Medical Center, Thea Nguyen, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor North America, Teresa Hoerres, fund development program manager, Banner Health Foundation at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Ariz., on April 8, 2026 (Photo/Hyundai)

A Continued Commitment to Child Passenger Safety
The contribution is part of Hyundai Hope, the corporate social responsibility initiative of Hyundai Motor America, dedicated to improving health, safety, and overall community well-being. Since the partnership began in 2025, Banner Children's has expanded the Car Seat Safety Program, providing caregiver classes at the hospital and extending outreach into schools to help families use car seats correctly. Banner Children's has also collaborated with a local adoption agency to promote safety education and access to car seats for caseworkers who transport children. This year's funding will help the hospital continue outreach to Title I schools and additional community agencies.

"Protecting children on the road starts with ensuring families have the right information and support," said Cole Stutz, chief safety officer, Hyundai Motor North America. "Through our continued partnership with Banner Children's, we're helping deliver trusted, expert-led guidance that empowers caregivers to make safer choices for their youngest passengers."

Why Child Passenger Safety Education Matters
Child passenger safety depends not only on having the right car seat, but also on using it correctly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nearly half of all car and booster seats are not used correctly, often due to improper installation. Banner Children's Car Seat Safety Program helps address this challenge through an education-first approach that supports proper use and provides car seats to families in need.

"Our Car Seat Safety Program provides not only car seats and installation assistance for families in need, but also vitally important injury prevention education," said Laura Robertson, CEO, Banner Desert Medical Center. "It is thanks to generous partners like Hyundai that we can continue to provide this support to the kids and families we care for in our hospitals. We are exceedingly grateful for this gift."

A Car Seat Safety Program with Longstanding Impact
Banner Children's first implemented the Car Seat Safety Program in 1998 as part of its injury prevention efforts and was among the first organizations in the nation to offer this training. The program provides classes for families to learn about the effects of collisions, different types of car seats, and proper installation and use in their vehicle. Through trusted safety advocates and hands‑on guidance, the program helps caregivers make well-informed decisions that support safer environments for children of all ages.

Banner Health
Banner Health's mission is to make health care easier, so life can be better. As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.

Hyundai Hope
Hyundai Hope is a corporate social responsibility initiative from Hyundai Motor North America, committed to the principle of Progress for Humanity and the goal of improving the wellbeing of society. Hyundai Hope dedicates time and supplies resources to nonprofit organizations that support the health and safety of individuals and foster positive growth in communities. For more information, visit www.hyundaihope.com.

Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company's Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, several cutting-edge R&D facilities and more than 855 independent dealers. These operations are part of Hyundai Motor Group, which is investing $26 billion in the U.S. from 2025 to 2028. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.