Rebuilding Together New Orleans partners with Health Blue

Building Healthy Homes Together

Rebuilding Together New Orleans announced a partnership with Healthy Blue to reduce health risks to local families. Healthy Blue recently invested $400,000 in Rebuilding Together’s Healthy Homes Initiative to support renovation projects in the New Orleans area that target and remove health risks.

To show firsthand the positive impact the Healthy Homes Initiative is having on the New Orleans community, Rebuilding Together New Orleans hosted a tour on Feb. 7, 2019, of local home repair projects, including lead remediation, fall and fire risks, water and pest intrusion at the home of Myrtle Carrie, Joann Hicks and Debra James, whose young grandchildren often stay in the property.

The tour explained the risks associated with lead paint as well as address other health risks common in local homes. “Everyone deserves to live in a healthy home, and our goal today was to show homeowners simple steps they can take to make their property healthier, such as home maintenance efforts that can reduce the potential for falls, burns and poisonings,” said William Stoudt, director of Rebuilding Together New Orleans.

Remediating lead paint is a common issue in New Orleans homes. Most houses built before 1978 have old lead paint, which can pose a health risk, especially to young children. Rebuilding Together New Orleans uses the Environmental Protection Agency’s Renovation, Repair and Paint guidelines to reduce lead risk to families.

Local officials joined team members from Healthy Blue and Rebuilding Together New Orleans to see the direct linkage between repair efforts and improving the health and wellbeing of residents in need. “As we work to improve the health of Louisianans, we understand that starts with focusing on areas where residents live and spend the most time,” said Aaron Lambert, president, Healthy Blue. “By partnering with Rebuilding Together, we can work together to help reduce hidden health risks found in homes throughout New Orleans.”