As 2024 ends, I’m proud of the work Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) has accomplished. The numbers reflect the dedication of our staff, but the true impact lies in the stories shared by those we’ve helped as noted further below:

 

• • Renovated 15 homes, addressing health hazards

• • Held 90 community workshops, educating over 1,300 people

• • Conducted 52 healthy home assessments

• • Delivered 78 workshops for schools and childcare centers

• • Certified 30 early learning centers as Eco-Healthy®

• • Tested 20 school buildings for lead and/or radon

• • Distributed 100 lead-removing water pitchers

Below are a few highlights of what community members have said in 2024 about their interactions with WHE, demonstrating that our public health strategies and priorities are making a difference in the lives of many each and every day:

“Thank you for helping my friend. He slept soundly last night. Something he has not done in years.”

“Thank you so much for providing the items people don’t normally see as essential. I am so grateful for your organization. You are the BEST!”

“I used the cleaning supplies from HCC and one of my kids who has asthma felt better and was able to breathe easier. I told her mom about the supplies and how much better her daughter did with the changes.”

“Through this partnership, we are able to proactively test for lead and radon, remediate any identified issues, and create a healthier environment for our children. We value your commitment to promoting safe, healthy spaces, and we are proud to work alongside such a dedicated organization.”

Our policy work continues, and as many of you know, can take years to accomplish. It’s safe to say we’re in it for the long haul. We will continue to advocate for smart, health-protective policy changes at the local, state and federal levels of government. At times, it can feel like a marathon, but we have the stamina to continue! Because of our grassroots initiatives and activities, we bring unique insights and share resident perspectives that help share our public comments to government agencies and legislators.

Key victories in 2024 worth noting include revisions to the Safe Drinking Water Act (the first update in 28 years!) requiring maximum contaminant levels in six PFAS (carcinogens) chemicals and improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule, mandating lead service line replacements and reducing the lead in drinking water action level from 15 to 10 parts per billion.

In November 2024, WHE celebrated 15 years of protecting public health. To kick off our milestone anniversary, our website underwent a refresh. I urge you to visit us at www.WomenForAHealthyEnvironment.org.

To continue our celebrations in the new year, we will be hosting a community event each quarter. Stay tuned for our virtual documentary screening in February!

From our humble beginnings with just one employee and a passionate group of women, we’ve expanded our work to tackle critical environmental health issues impacting residents, especially the most vulnerable…our children. Today our esteemed board of directors and staff continue that essential and meaningful work, leading us into the next 15 years. We can assure you of one thing… we will continue to advance this work and advocate for the creation of healthy communities all across Pennsylvania.

Our organization is people-focused, community-based and solution-oriented. I am proud to share that nearly 90% of our revenue goes directly to programmatic activity. That means that our funding is spent as we promise – supporting the communities that have the greatest needs and fewest resources. In closing, in honor of our fifteen years, please consider donating $15.

Wishing you much peace, health and happiness in 2025,

Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, Executive Director