Clean Air For Residents
Giveaway Helps Clear The Air for Area Residents
With cold temperatures and rainfall in the previous few weeks, summer wildfires might seem like a distant memory. The impact from those fires aren’t necessarily gone for your lungs.
Touro University partners, in coordination with Dr. Trina Mackie, Associate Professor with TUC’s Public Health Program and Dr. Lisa May Norton, Dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences, and funding from Solano Community Foundation, helped distribute 125 air purifiers at Grace Patterson Elementary in November to help address what is becoming a public health issue of increasing proportions.
“Air quality from wildfires and other sources of pollution in Vallejo has long lasting impacts on community health, but young children are particularly at risk from asthma, asthma complications, and other respiratory illness.,” Dr. Mackie said.
The giveaway was one of the largest for TUC volunteers. Previous events had given away roughly a dozen purifiers, but revised communication with the community in partnership with Principal at Grace Patterson Elementary school allowed increased that level ten-fold.
“The air quality here (Vallejo) is one of the worst in California and wildfire smoke has definitely exasperated this and that’s why we received the grant funds from Solano Community Foundation. If we can get air purifiers in the bedrooms and homes of children it can really protect young lungs from asthma and other respiratory illnesses throughout the course of their lifetimes,” said Dr. Lisa Norton, Dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences.
Touro volunteers, along with those from Common Ground, Fresh Air Vallejo, Solano Community Foundation, and Diaz & Loera Centro Latino assisted during the event at Grace Patterson.
“We are so grateful for this partnership and the support of students and families within our community. Dr. Lisa Norton and Dr. Trina Mackie were instrumental in making this event happen and I could not appreciate them and their support of Grace Patterson students any more than I already do,” said Megan De La Mater, Grace Patterson’s Principal.