KPTI
Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute
The New England Kiwanis Family has partnered with the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center to serve children with traumatic injury, conduct research, and organize programs to prevent traumatic injury in children across New England.
What is KPTI?
The Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute (KPTI) is one of the New England and Bermuda District Projects. KPTI is supported by the Kiwanis Foundation of New England (KNFE), which is the charitable foundation for the New England District of Kiwanis and Tufts Medical Center.
The Kiwanis Family is committed to serving children in our local and global communities. During the 1970s, the New England District of Kiwanis sought to establish a new project that would meet the needs of children in New England. Pediatric trauma was and is a major problem in the community, and the New England District of Kiwanis set out to confront it. Kiwanian Dr. Harold “Hap” Gerrish approached Tufts Children's Hospital with the idea, and the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute was founded in 1981.
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From 1981 until June 2022, KPTI was located at Tufts Children's Hospital in Boston, MA. In 2022, Tufts Medical Center discontinued its Children's Hospital. As of the 2022-2023 school year, Tufts Medical Center is still managing our KPTI Trauma Prevention Programs (detailed below), but is no longer providing direct care to pediatric trauma patients or conducting research in the area.
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If your Key Club would like to help support the trauma prevention programs below, you may still fundraise for KPTI. Funds should be donated through the Key Club District to Kiwanis Foundation of New England. KFNE intends to continue these KPTI Trauma Prevention Programs with a new partner after the year.
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If your Key Club would like to support direct patient care, we recommend you fundraise for your local Children's Miracle Network Hospital.
How can my Key Club help?
Key Clubby Bears
Key Clubby Bears are teddy bears (but better because of Key Club!) provided by the New England and Bermuda District of Key Clubs. Your Key Club can order two cases for free, and you can order additional cases for $100 per case. Each case contains twelve bears. After receiving these cuddly bears, your Key Club delivers them to fire stations, police stations, hospitals, and other humanitarian programs. These organizations, in turn, will give the Key Clubby Bears to scared, injured, and ill children, which will provide those kids with a feeling of safety and reassurance.
Bicycle Rodeos/Safety Days
The Kiwanis Family Safety Day and Bike Rodeo was created by KPTI in 1994. Each year about eighteen thousand children participate in this fun and educational day sponsored by local Kiwanis clubs, police departments, fire departments, and other organizations throughout New England. This program provides:
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Information for children and families about bike safety.
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Step by step instructions from planning and promoting your safety day to set-up and clean-up.
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Helmets are also available at reduced cost.
For a complete guide to planning a Kiwanis Family Safety Day, click here.​
Other KPTI Community Programs
KPTI has a variety of other Community Programs for Kiwanis Family clubs throughout the New England and Bermuda District, such as:
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B.E.L.T.S. Seatbelt Safety Program (for CKI)
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Bully Free Zone
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Concussion Information
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I'm Safe! On My Bike in New England
