Cultivating Community Champions to Support Healthier Homes in Tucson

Community Story

For over 30 years, the Sonora Environmental Research Institute (SERI) has partnered with neighborhoods in the Tucson metropolitan area that are under economic, environmental, and health stress to identify health risks—including lead exposure hazards—and take action to reduce those risks. SERI serves families in high-risk Zip Codes who have a low income, limited English proficiency, and children ages 6 and under.

A Comprehensive Approach to Healthy Housing

SERI created many programs to support residents and has a strong tradition of engaging community members in several of these programs at once. For example, households participating in SERI's rainwater harvesting program are encouraged to participate in their lead poisoning prevention program. This cross-promotion increases enrollment in each program, supports a more comprehensive approach to healthy housing, and helps build trust in and support for local public health programs.

Cultivating Community Champions

Building on its roots as a promotora (community health worker) organization, SERI created a Community Champions program, which enlists community members to educate others about lead poisoning prevention (and other programs supporting healthy homes) and encourage participation in these programs. While Community Champions are provided a stipend for their work, many are motivated by their desire to help support their community.

Because their work is focused on supporting healthier homes, Community Champions often go door-to-door, offering information and volunteering to test household items for lead contamination. While many residents in the communities served by SERI are open to this service, others are more comfortable talking to Community Champions outside of the home. Community Champions are trained to respect residents' wishes and make them feel at ease, while still sharing valuable information that can improve the safety of their home.

Replacing Hazardous Clay Cookware

Community Champions found that many of the homes they visit contain clay cookware, which can be hazardous if the paints and glazes used on these items contain lead. Many of these items are imported from other countries where lead regulations and enforcement may differ from the U.S. Although this clay cookware may meet the safety standards to be imported, it might sill contain some lead. This cookware is often used for serving and preparing food, creating a significant health risk for those who use these items frequently.

Community Champions use lead testing swabs (purchased online or in hardware stores) to determine whether lead is present in cookware items, such as cazuelas and frijoleras. SERI then helps households replace lead-contaminated clay cookware with safer alternatives. Residents can choose from a select set of replacement cookware, and many are enthusiastic about swapping their cookware for a safer alternative. For families who are not interested in the program, Community Champions offer tips for safer storage and handling of lead-contaminated cookware.

During the first two years of the cookware replacement program, SERI seeks to replace 140 pieces of cookware. Building on the success of this program, SERI is looking to expand the variety of items that will be tested for lead in the future.

Key steps taken

• Looked for ways to invite and encourage people already participating in another public health program to participate in lead hazard elimination programs (This cross-promotion was a way to increase participation across many programs.)
• Found local champions who are known and respected by their communities and trained them to educated and refer their neighbors to the lead poisoning prevention programs
• Reviewed what lead exposure hazards were most prevalent in the community; looked for creative solutions for eliminating these hazards, while still respecting people's needs and wishes