Hackensack Non-Profit Rids Bergen, Passaic Homes Of Dangerous Lead Paint

HACKENSACK, N.J. – With a new report out showing lead was found in the drinking water of over half of Bergen County school systems, one Hackensack based non-profit is reminding people that children can also digest lead in other ways – such as through lead-based paint.

Chipping lead-based paint can be harmful to children.
Photo Credit: *Facebook*

Lauren Kidd Ferguson

07/19/2017 5:30 a.m.

And the non-profit is helping families remediate the problem.

With a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Greater Bergen Community Action (GBCA) runs a free lead remediation program for low-income families living in homes with lead-based paint hazards.

Since receiving the grant last October, the organization has remediated ten homes in Bergen County and one in Paterson.

“With this grant we’re able to address a problem that directly affects a child’s ability to learn and be a productive citizen,” said David DeGiulio, who manages the program. “We understand the enormity of our work and we feel fortunate to be able to help the children in our community have the healthiest lives possible.”

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, one of the ways children may become lead poisoned is by eating paint chips found in homes with peeling or flaking lead-based paint. Lead may cause a range of health problems, including damage to the brain and other vital organs, and behavioral problems and learning disabilities, according to the department.

Families in Bergen County, and the cities of Paterson and Passaic, who would like to apply for free lead remediation program should call (973) 910-2500 or CLICK HERE to download an application.

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