Millage Recipient Profile - Healthy Homes Coalition

The Healthy Homes Coalition is a product of the successful Get the Lead Out! campaign that was incorporated in the summer of 2006 to sustain the effort to end childhood lead poisoning in Grand Rapids. The Get the Lead Out! collaborative was formed in 2001 in response to local data that called out the environmental injustice of childhood lead poisoning in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The mission of Healthy Homes Coalition is to prioritize children's health and wellbeing by eliminating harmful housing conditions, beginning in Grand Rapids’ hardest-hit neighborhoods. They achieve that mission through direct services, community organizing, and continuous collaboration. They have four core operating values which are Environmental Justice - to promote environmental justice and health equity in all actions. Empowering Families - to use a family-centered approach to promote housing environments where children thrive and achieve their highest potential. Respect - to provide services for all people in a culturally sensitive manner that respects dignity. Integrity - to be honest and above reproach in all personal and professional relationships. Healthy Homes strongly believes that every child’s home should be free from environmental hazards and believes this can be done through policy and advocacy, outreach and education, direct services, and continuous collaboration.

This Ready by Five millage-funded program covers an array of services including asthma, radon, smoke, and carbon monoxide installation along with lead remediation.

“We are constantly seeking best practices and partners to support the end of childhood environmental health hazards and we are so excited to be a Ready by Five service provider!” said Stephanie McKendry, program manager.

“Our Ready by Five programming will allow us to reach more underserved families in Kent County to ensure their housing is safe and healthy,” she said.

Healthy Homes has recently developed a home screening tool called Nido. The Nido Home screening app addresses kindergarten readiness by looking for common household occurrences that can have environmental health impacts such as lead, asthma, or accidental injury. Healthy housing information and resources are provided based on a household’s answers and hazard scores. The screening can be completed by an adult in the home or with the help of Healthy Homes’ staff.

Learn more about Healthy Homes Coalition here.