Daycare providers in Cleveland can get money and resources through a new program that aims to help small business owners remediate lead paint dust from their buildings and reduce the risk of children from being exposed to the toxin.
Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, Starting Point and Cleveland Clinic launched the Lead Safe Child Care Pilot Program Monday. The program will provide 30 childcare centers in the city with funding and services to help remove lead hazards in their centers. The program is the first of its kind in the country and is funded by Cleveland Clinic.
More than 12,600 Cleveland children receive care at 500 childcare sites in the city. Out of that 500, 273 operate in buildings built before 1978, according to data collected by Starting Point, a nonprofit childcare agency in Cleveland.
Nancy Mendez, president and CEO of Starting Point, said the program will assist childcare owners with services they need to remediate their sites without having to shut down their business.
“Child care providers are often small business owners who care deeply about the children in their care and can’t afford disruptions to their business,” Mendez said in a statement.
Childcare centers that are selected will receive:
- A $12,000 grant
- Free services such as business support and lead screenings for children
- EPA-certified lead workers and specialists who can conduct assessments, repairs, renovations and paint projects
The pilot program will run until 2025, with plans to launch additional phases for a total of 120 centers, the hospital said in a statement.
Daycare providers who are interested in applying must be licensed to operate a family child care center at a site built before 1978. The application can be found on Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition’s website.
Earlier this year, the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition announced its partnership with Starting Point to administer the new child care pilot program. The pilot program is an expansion of Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition’s Lead Safe Home fund, which provides landlords or property owners with grants and resources they need to remediate their properties and make them lead safe.
