|
The Healthy
Homes Coalition of West Michigan is a newly incorporated non-profit
organization that is an outgrowth of the successful Get the Lead
Out! campaign in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Since 2001, more than
two-dozen partner organizations have contributed to the success
of the campaign, which has resulted in a more than 60% decrease
in the number of children with elevated blood lead levels in Kent
County, Michigan.
The Healthy Homes Coalition is assuming administration of the pre-existing
CLEARCorps/Grand Rapids program, which was previously administered
by Home Repair Services, a non-profit agency that equips low-income
neighbors for successful home ownership.
CLEARCorps/Grand Rapids will re-launch an AmeriCorps-based campaign
to deliver family-centered activities to high-risk communities in
Grand Rapids. This campaign will focus upon both childhood lead poisoning
and a wider assortment of healthy homes issues as identified and
prioritized by local community residents, leaders and stakeholders.
Likely issues will be radon, carbon monoxide, indoor air quality,
and pest management. Key activities will be environmental sampling,
family-centered education for action, and local capacity building.
Local Partnerships
CLEARCorps/Grand Rapids will be integrated into both the Get the Lead
Out! collaborative and the Greater Grand Rapids Children’s Environmental
Health Initiative. Both of these groups convene broad stakeholders to
develop local action plans and metrics for measuring success, and both
are facilitated with help from the Healthy Homes Coalition.
CLEARCorps/Grand Rapids will also be coordinated with local and
state public health and the City of Grand Rapids’ model Lead
Hazard Control program.
The Healthy Homes Coalition has ongoing, working partnerships with
dozens of organizations from as diverse backgrounds as health care,
early childhood development, neighborhoods and community development,
faith-based groups, landlord associations, environmental organizations,
housing developer, government, higher education and others.
Local Funding
Healthy Homes Coalition is targeting a blend of local philanthropy,
HUD and the US-EPA for funding to support the re-launch of CLEARCorps/Grand
Rapids.
Contacts
Paul Haan
Executive Director
Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
phone: (616) 734-9443
fax: (616) 451-0615
paul@healthyhomescoalition.org
Internet links
Healthy Homes Coalition
of West Michigan
Home Repair Services
of Kent County, Inc.
Return to CLEARCorps Home Page |
