People You Should Know

from Social Northshore | September 2022

by Social Magazines

Southern Nights Gala

Crystal Pichon

PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW

STORY BY KAYLA BERTUCCI

Inspiration comes in many forms and fashions. A lot of times, inspiration is situational. You may experience highs and lows in your life that lead you to advocate for something you’ve never advocated for before. That’s exactly what happened to Slidell native, Crystal Pichon, twelve and a half years ago in Baton Rouge when she met injury lawyer, Lexlee Overton. Together, they built the nonprofit child injury prevention program, The Safety Place.

Crystal says the statistics of child injury are alarming. Research shows unintentional injuries are the #1 cause of death for children. Ages 0-1 are unintentional suffocations, ages 1-4 are drownings, and ages 5-9 are motor vehicle crashes. Suicide recently became number 1 for ages 10-14, and 15- young adult age is also motor vehicle crashes.

“I cannot stress enough that being proactive rather than reactive is key,” shares Crystal. “These statistics are part of the reason we see inflated prices in necessities such as medical and vehicle insurance. With proactive attention, education, services, resources, and support, we can significantly decrease these preventable injuries and deaths.”

The Safety Place has a mission to lean in and provide injury prevention education, services, and resources to caregivers and parents using a unique and non-judgmental approach.

“No one can know everything. Why not lean on child safety experts to help keep the best things you’ve ever done (your kids) as safe as possible?” asks Crystal. “Not knowing the safest option does not make you less of a parent. It makes you human. And a professional pointing out a safer way to do something and offering assistance is not a judgment on your ability to parent. With me and my team, it’s a pure and honest effort to help you protect your children and leave you feeling empowered.”

Advocating for child safety is something Crystal encourages the entire community to get involved with. With a number of signature programs created to bring the latest advice and education about preventing injuries to youth, The Safety Place is a wonderful way to get involved by either donating or becoming a “Safety Squad Member.”

“As a Safety Squad Member, you will use your talents and work with our staff to bring fun safety education to parents, caregivers, youth, and our community as a whole. You can also give a one-time gift, or you can choose to become an ongoing supporter by pledging monthly funds to The Safety Place. Our agency is 501c3 approved, and all cash and in-kind donations made to our agency are taxdeductible,” says Crystal.

Crystal believes that giving children a future starts with you. What better way to pour into society than ensuring future generations are safe and cared for? It starts with educating yourself and equipping those willing to help with the tools they need to keep our kids safe.

“One of my favorite aspects of this job is programming directly to the kids! It is both magical and exhausting. We give every ounce of energy we have just to see them smile, engaged, confident and ultimately safe!” shares Crystal.