Healthy Homes Success Story: Wolcott Street Home Daycare

Debra moved into her home in 1997. In 2002, she lost her job at a corporate office, and she had always wanted to be a teacher, so she opened her home-based daycare. She cares for 15 children of all ages, some as young as eight weeks old, and employs two staff members. We met Debra at one of Elevate Energy’s lead in water workshops and she mentioned to us that she had chipping paint  around the exterior of her home. We did an assessment and confirmed that the paint was lead-based. We connected her with a contractor to address the hazards.

In addition to the exterior, we found lead paint on the steps in the basement where the daycare is located and replaced them so that no lead was left behind. She said that the work enhanced her home and made it safer for the children. She was familiar with lead paint but said that the program helped her learn about how easy it is for lead dust to be tracked indoors and around the home. She also said that she  appreciated that the program helps providers screen for lead and take action so that children can flourish as they grow and play.

“The program helped me learn about lead and how it affects a child’s brain and development during the early stages of life, which are the most important.”

Property Overview

• Property type: Single-family home
• Year built: 1967
• Neighborhood: Auburn-Gresham

Healthy Homes Interventions

• Removal of lead paint on exterior siding, soffit, and fascia of the home and garage
• Replacement of basement stairs located in the daycare

Project Cost

• Total: $14,891, covered in full through private funds at no cost to the homeowner