Grand Rapids - EPA-approved curriculum teaches homeowners, landlords, maintenance staff, and remodelers how to work lead-safe. (must attend both dates).
Kalamazoo - Learn about the major environmental issues in homes and apartments, available resources and tools, and how to integrate no-cost / low cost solutions to create healthier homes and buildings.
Grand Rapids - Introductory class for homeowners on low-cost interim controls and maintaining a lead-safe home.
Grand Rapids - EPA-approved curriculum teaches homeowners, landlords, maintenance staff, and remodelers how to work lead-safe. (must attend both dates).
Kalamazoo - EPA-approved curriculum teaches homeowners, landlords, maintenance staff, and remodelers how to work lead-safe.
Hundreds of Kent County children are needlessly poisoned by lead every year.
To help our community's children thrive and succeed in life, we need to promise our children that the homes where they live are free from lead hazards. Lead poisoning is 100% preventable. If homes are made lead safe, children will be protected.
The Source
An estimated 90% of all childhood lead poisoning cases in Kent County are the result of deteriorating lead-based paint and lead dust found in the home. This dangerous dust can be found in any home built before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned. More than 85% of the housing stock in the City of Grand Rapids, and many others throughout Kent County, were built before 1978.
Who is at Risk?
Infants and toddlers have the highest risk of being lead poisoned, especially when they are beginning to move around on their own.
What are the Symptoms?
There are no reliable symptoms of lead poisoning that can help parents detect the problem. Waiting for symptoms is dangerous, as visible symptoms come too late — after long-lasting damage to the child. Instead of relying on symptoms, parents should get a blood test for their child as recommended.
The Effects of Lead
- Brain damage
- Poor physical growth and development
- Social problems
- Behavioral problems
- Problems in school, learning disabilities
Solutions
Lead poisoning is 100% preventable! Making homes lead-safe prevents children from being poisoned. This website provides pages that can help Parents, Landlords and Community Partners in their efforts to protect our children.
To learn more about making homes lead-safe, contact the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan at (616) 241-3300.
Making sure children grow up in homes that are healthy and safe is everyone’s job! The Healthy Homes Coalition is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Learn more about specific ways you can help protect children. Connect with us today!
742 Franklin St. SE // Grand Rapids, MI 49507 // 616.241.3300 p // 616.241.3327 f // info@healthyhomescoalition.org
Special thanks to the Dyer-Ives Foundation for their generous support of this website. © 2006-2008 Healthy Homes Coalition.
