GRAND RAPIDS – A coalition of 24 community organizations presented a position paper to the Grand Rapids City Commission on September 27 calling for cooperation to address growing housing concerns as a result of the recent changes in the real estate market.
A new report prepared by the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health, of which the Healthy Homes Coalition is a member, reports estimates the annual environmentally attributable costs of lead poisoning at $3.2 - $4.85 billion for Michigan residents.
Beginning April 22, all renovators, remodelers and painters working in pre-1978 housing are now required to be an EPA-certified renovator trained in lead safe work practices. This requirement applies to all renovation projects, not just lead abatement. Effected trades include remodelers, renovators, window replacement workers, painters, electricians, plumbers, and any other trades that disturb painted surfaces during the course of their work. Landlords who make repairs themselves are also required to have this certification.
The Healthy Homes Coalition will be hosting their Annual Meeting 4:30pm Thursday, August 5.
Get the Lead Out! and Healthy Homes are the cover story for the MiBiz Sustainability Report for this quarter.
National and Local Experts Urge Lead Poisoning Testing For Children.
50% of children in Grand Rapids are not being tested for lead poisoning at the critical ages of 1 and 2.
GRAND RAPIDS – The Grand Rapids Get The Lead Out! campaign has been successful on many fronts. The number of homes having lead based paint abated is increasing. Yet an alarming number of children are not being tested for lead poisoning at the critical ages of 1 and 2.
“In children, lead can cause nervous system and kidney damage, learning disabilities, speech, language problems, decreased muscle and bone growth and hearing damage,” said Joan Dyer-Zykowski, Kent County Health Department Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Manager. "The majority of children lead poisoned in Grand Rapids are between one and two years old."
The City of Grand Rapids Get the Lead Out! program is offering free lead training for professionals seeking to enter the lead hazard control, abatement and assessment fields. This is an opportunity for small business owners from the affected communities to receive free training to make them eligible for lead hazard control work funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Healthy Homes Coalition is partnering with Home Repair Services to provide a Lead Safe Painting and Home Repair workshop for do-it-yourself home owners interested in making home repairs in a lead-safe fashion.
The Detroit Free Press published an indepth article on Sunday, May 16 that looks at the link between lead and learning. The article features a look at children's blood lead levels relative to their performance on MEAP scores later in life.
The US-EPA has launched a portal on its website where homeowners can find contractors who have been trained and certified in how to safely make repairs so that children are not exposed to lead hazards. The searchable database can be accessed by clicking here.
Come learn how the healthy Homes Coalition helps parents protect children from environmental health hazards in the home by joining us for a Building Healthy Homes Tour. These brief lunch hour or end of the day tours are a wonderful chance for you to hear some real stories about the work that we do at Healthy Homes.
Reserve your space today by calling (616) 241-3300 or emailing us.
Click on the title above to learn more and to see other future tour dates for summer 2010!
The Healthy Homes Coalition was recently awarded $26,248 in FEMA funding to make sure families with children have working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in their homes. This award will allow Healthy Homes to serve 400 families!
All children should have the opportunity to grow up in healthy homes that are free from environmental hazards.
Your donation will help us protect children from environmental health hazards in the home. Help children grow up healthy, smart and strong! Join the Healthy Homes Coalition today!
Ridding our community's housing stock of environmental hazards is a BIG job, and we need your help! The Healthy Homes Coalition is working with parents, community organizations, and government to quickly eliminate health hazards in children's homes. We want you to join us!
The average cost to make a Grand Rapids home free of lead hazards is about $9,000. The typical cost for clearing the air of radon? $1,200. And carbon monoxide problems are expensive too, often involving the replacement of major appliances like furnaces and water heaters.
The Healthy Homes Coalition is working to implement cost-effective solutions. By changing housing policy, leveraging federal resources, promoting marketplace solutions, and supporting parents and property owners, together, we can eliminate environmental health hazards in children's homes.
Learn More About Healthy Homes - Take a Tour!
Interested in learning more about us? We'd encourage you to join us for a Building Healthy Homes Tour. These brief lunch hour or end of the day tours are a wonderful chance for you to hear some real stories about the work that we do at Healthy Homes. You can meet the staff, check out our offices, and ask questions about the work that we do. And don't worry, we won't ask for a contribution at that time. The tours are a time for learning and getting to know one another.
When you join us on a tour, our commitment to you is threefold. FIrst, you'll learn a lot. Second, we commit to starting and ending the tour on time, so you don't need more than 60 minutes. Third, you'll have fun and leave inspired!
To pick a date, visit our News and Events calendar page.
If you'd like to make a donation to the Healthy Homes Coalition, please know that the Healthy Homes Coalition is a 501(c)(3) charity, so your contribution is fully tax-deductible.
Healthy Futures Conservator: $1,000 per year for five years.
Healthy Futures Builder: $500 per year for five years.
Healthy Futures Friend: $250 per year for five years.
While we have these advanced levels of giving, we also know that each and every donor decides what is best for them. We welcome smaller gifts, and multi-year pledges are not required.
Use the PayPal link below, or send your contribution to the Healthy Homes Coalition at 742 Franklin St SE, Grand Rapids MI 49507-1307.
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. © 2006-2010 Healthy Homes Coalition.
