Get ready to support a great cause, enjoy food from some of Chicago’s best restaurants, and win some exciting prizes: the KID Best Friend Award Night is right around the corner! Lisa Parker, NBC5 Consumer Investigative Reporter, will emcee the event, which takes on Thursday, June 1 at Galleria Marchetti.

The Best Friend Award Night is a chance for KID to celebrate our progress, honor the memory of Danny Keysar and other victims of unsafe children’s products, and highlight the contributions of our Best Friend – someone who has helped keep children safe. This year, we are recognizing four university programs that have participated in KID’s Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) program, and played a pivotal role in designing safer children’s products by supporting KID’s mission in a variety of ways. This year’s honorees are:

  • The Segal Design Institute at Northwestern University for its participation in KID’s Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) program. Through projects in the Design Institute’s first year program and invaluable professor involvement, KID has been able to tailor design solutions to real world hazards in children’s products as well as educated tomorrow’s product designers on the importance of design safety, user input and hazard analysis.
  • The School of Engineering at the University of Michigan for their participation in KID’s Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) program. The University of Michigan was the first school to partner with KID by sponsoring student projects. It has been including KID in their senior capstone project program ever since.
  • The Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology for its work with KID on innovations to improve recall effectiveness. Graduate researchers at the Institute worked with KID on a yearlong research project applying design theory to the recall process, improving its overall effectiveness. Results were presented at an annual symposium with product safety stakeholders and are being incorporated into KID’s work and others.
  • The Social Enterprise Initiative at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business for its support of KID through the Net Impact Board Fellows program and Alumni Board Connect. Since 2009, Board Fellows have worked with KID on projects including financial reporting, strategic planning, marketing, and program development.

Tickets include a sampling of small plates from some of our favorite restaurants (312 Chicago, Beatrix, The Dearborn, Eddie V’s, Mercadito, Seven Restaurant and Bar, and Smoque BBQ), wine and beer, an opportunity to win amazing raffle and auction prizes, and a chance to network KID supporters and safety advocates. Buy your tickets today! We can’t wait to see you there!