Walmart and Holly Spring First Responders Build 300 Kits4Kids

Walmart associates join Holly Springs Police, Fire, and Wake Sheriff to build 300 pediatric trauma kits for children facing emergency situations.

HOLLY SPRINGS, NC, UNITED STATES, August 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – August 21, 2026 — Today, First Responder Kits4Kids joined forces with the Walmart of Holly Springs, the Holly Springs Police Department, the Holly Springs Fire Department, and the Wake County Sheriff’s Office to successfully build and package 300 emergency comfort kits for pediatric trauma response. The high-energy community assembly brought together local law enforcement officers, firefighters, deputies, and Walmart associates working side by side to build specialized Kits4Kids. Designed specifically for frontline deployment, each kit contains therapeutic, interactive, and sensory-soothing items created to de-escalate fear, ease severe anxiety, and provide immediate emotional relief to children experiencing traumatic or high-stress emergency calls. When first responders arrive on the scene of a motor vehicle accident, residential fire, medical crisis, or domestic dispute, children are frequently the most vulnerable individuals present.

In these overwhelming moments, emergency personnel often lack specialized tools tailored to bridge communication and comfort for young patients. The First Responder Kits4Kids initiative directly bridges that gap by outfitting patrol units, fire engines, and emergency response vehicles with practical, trauma-informed resources. “When a child is going through one of the scariest moments of their life, first responders need tools that can instantly break through the fear and build a bridge of trust,” said Kevin Gatlin, Co-Founder of First Responder Kits4Kids. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of Walmart and the dedication of our local law enforcement and fire personnel, 300 children facing emergencies across Wake County will receive comforting support right when they need it most.” Walmart’s partnership in the Holly Springs initiative underscores its ongoing mission to strengthen community resilience, foster direct collaboration with emergency responders, and invest in impactful, grassroots youth programs.

By hosting the assembly and mobilizing associate volunteers, Walmart helped ensure that frontline heroes across the region return to service with dedicated resources to comfort the community’s youngest residents. First Responder Kits4Kids was founded by two fathers, Kevin Gatlin and James Fisher-Davis, dedicated to ensuring no child endures an emergency crisis without vital emotional support. Utilizing interactive, engaging concepts originally engineered for pediatric medical care, the national program has equipped thousands of emergency vehicles and agencies across the country with over 20,000 trauma kits to date. For more information on the initiative, partnership opportunities, or media collateral, visit www.playtimetherapysheetsfoundation.org.

kevin Gatlin
Playtime Therapy Sheets Foundation
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