FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dolores Parker
Email: dolores@WomenForaHealthyEnvironment.org
Phone: 412-404-2872

Congresswoman Summer Lee, Women for a Healthy Environment to Announce $190,940 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Federal Grant to Combat Lead Poisoning in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA (November 17, 2023) – Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) to announce that Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) has received a $190,940 federal grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to educate environmental justice communities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about the sources and health impacts of lead exposure and provide solutions to reduce lead exposure.
“I am proud to announce this critical grant funding to Women for a Healthy Environment,” said
Congresswoman Lee. “Lead poisoning is a serious public health issue, disproportionately impacting children of color and low-income families. This funding will allow WHE to continue its vital work to protect the health and well-being of our most vulnerable communities in Pittsburgh.”

• 1 in 10 children under the age of 6 in Allegheny County has a blood lead level above the CDC’s action level of 5 micrograms per deciliter.
• Children of color are disproportionately affected by lead poisoning. Black children are 10 times more
  likely to have a blood lead level above 5 μg/dL than white children.
• Lead poisoning can have a devastating impact on children’s health. It can cause cognitive impairments, behavioral problems, and learning disabilities. In severe cases, lead poisoning can even lead to death.

The grant will be used to fund a three-year project that will focus on educating and empowering residents of environmental justice communities across Allegheny County to take action to protect their children from lead exposure.

Congresswoman Summer Lee will announce the grant at a press conference at Jeremiah’s Place, located at 6435 Frankstown Ave, Pittsburgh on November 21, 2023 at 11 am. The press conference will be open to the public. The congresswoman will tour Jeremiah’s Place immediately following the grant announcement.

WHE’s grant project will include a variety of activities, including:

• Targeted lead education and advocacy for families in priority neighborhoods with children ages zero to six, to raise awareness of lead exposure in Pittsburgh.
• Creative storytelling initiatives to enhance family awareness of lead hazards and ways to reduce
  exposure
• Training child care providers in PiUsburgh on lead-safe practices
• Accessible lead education resources to overcome language barriers

The announcement will take place at Jeremiah’s Place, an emergency early learning center in Pittsburgh which successfully completed WHE’s 1000 Hours a Year lead testing program and is certified as Eco-Healthy.® Jeremiah’s Place will serve as a model for other early learning centers in Pittsburgh and will provide a safe and healthy learning environment for children.

“We are grateful for Congresswoman Lee’s support and for this CDC grant,” said Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, Executive Director at WHE. “Lead exposure is a known, but preventable environmental health hazard, and we are committed to working with community members across the region to make certain that all children have a safe and healthy place to live, learn, and grow regardless of their zip code.”

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About WHE: WHE is a non-profit organization that empowers underserved communities to build resilience, promote equity, and safeguard children from environmental health hazards. We collaborate with families, schools, and early learning centers to create healthy environments where children can flourish. Guided by science, we advocate for policies and programs that foster equitable lives
free from environmental harms.

About Jeremiah’s Place: Jeremiah’s Place protects children and strengthens families by providing a safe haven of respite, health, renewal, and support for children when their families are experiencing a cri cal need for childcare. As a crisis nursery, Jeremiah’s Place provides 24/7, judgment-free emergency childcare to children ages 0-6 at no cost to families. Jeremiah’s Place offers all of the necessi es a child may need, as well as educational and emotional enrichment through daily programming.