The Healthy Homes Coalition's primary approach is to organize and lead existing community organizations, programs and institutions in efforts to eliminate children's environmental health hazards found in older housing. Healthy Homes continues to facilitate the successful Get the Lead Out! Collaborative in Grand Rapids, brings together work teams on other topical issues, and consults with community groups across the state of Michigan. Healthy Homes is also a founding member of the Greater Grand Rapids Children's Environmental Health Initiative.

Coalition members realize that sustainable solutions are often those incorporated into public policy. To that end, Healthy Homes leads the community in designing and bringing about better public policy that ensures that children's homes are free from environmental health hazards.

Trained AmeriCorps members with the Healthy Homes Coalition assist families in collecting dust samples and developing and implementing strategies to prevent childhood lead poisoning. Assistance with environmental controls and minor home repair may be included on a case-by-case basis. CLEARCorps also checks homes for radon and carbon monoxide. Eligibility: Must live in the metro Grand Rapids area, must be low-moderate income, must have in the home a pregnant woman or a child under the age of six. Homeowners and tenants eligible. Our program is a proud affiliate of CLEARCorps/USA.

¡Hagalo usted de manera segura!
Spanish-speaking coaches work with Spanish-speaking households to teach lead-safe work practices at our site and in the home. We provide dust wipe supplies, materials for safe work practices and a helping hand. Eligibility: Must live in the metro Grand Rapids area, must be low-moderate income, must have in the home a child under the age of six or a pregnant women, primary language in the household must be Spanish, and must be a homeowner.

Lead Dust Sampling, a Calvin College / Healthy Homes Coalition partnership
Calvin College students bring free dust sampling supplies and will coach parents in the special methods used to check their own home. Calvin pays all lab costs (a value of $75), and students return with a report and resources. Eligibility: Must live in the Grand Rapids metro area, must be low-moderate income, must have in the home a child under the age of six or a pregnant women. Homeowners and tenants eligible. Will be asked to participate in a voluntary health psychology study.

Radon Testing to Protect Your Family from Cancer
Healthy Homes Coalition staff or volunteers will hang and collect a radon test kit (a value of $20). Your test results will be mailed to you. Eligibility: Free service to owner-occupied households with children 0-5 years or age or a pregnant woman. Must live in the City of Grand Rapids. Low-moderate income households only. Test kits are available for $5 for households without children, rental properties, those that exceed income guidelines and those that are outside of Grand Rapids. The Healthy Homes Coalition reserves the right to waive fees as it deems necessary.

Beginning July 1, 2008, the Healthy Homes Coalition will offer FREE installation of one CO alarm and up to three smoke detectors for Kent County households with children. Eligibility: Home must be in Kent County and have a full-time resident child 14 years of age or younger. Owners and tenants eligible.

Consulting
The Healthy Homes Coalition welcomes the opportunity to consult with landlords and homeowners regarding lead poisoning prevention and other healthy housing solutions. Properties must house children and be located in west Michigan.

For all services, call (616) 241-3300 or email Healthy Homes.