OPAL is holding a rally at City Hall this Wednesday to promote affordable, reliable public transportation, and JHC’s own Executive Director Charles McGee, II, has something to say about the matter: “TriMet fare increases push people off the bus and MAX, forcing poor people to purchase old polluting clunkers and worsening Portland’s public health crisis and indiscriminate emission of greenhouse gases. More pollutants means more childhood asthma, emphysema, cancer and long-term exacerbation of diabetes. More greenhouse gases means more global warming and catastrophic climate change.” Check out the complete Press Release: rallyforthebuspressrelease

We are currently seeking two new interns, one Outreach Strategist and one In-Home Toxin Reduction Educator, who are passionate about health equity and really want to make a difference by reducing environmental hazards in the homes of Portland families. Come join the JHC team! If you are interested, please check the position descriptions and then send a resume and cover letter to Amanda at Amanda@jhillclinic.org.

We are highlighting the Healthy Homes Check-Up Program:  Local Nonprofit Gives Home Hazard Check-Ups! (Also available in Spanish)

The Emerson Street Community Garden held their Groundbreaking Celebration this Saturday, and JHC was there to provide our lead poisoning education and resources to the Garden’s community.  The Emerson Street Garden is a located at 822 NE Emerson.  In 1995, the original apartment building burned down and  left a small plot of land highly contaminated by lead.  In 2008, it was given to the Oregon Sustainable Agricultural Land Trust by Multnomah County, and is now in the hands of the volunteer Emerson Working Group, who are making efforts to decontaminate the soil using Phytoremediation.

The ceremony was held right in front of the garden plot, complete with a speech by Commissioner Dan Saltzman, delicious food provided by neighbors and friends, and musical entertainment by various talented young musicians from the community.  For pictures of the event, click here! And read on for amusing stories and details from the fun-filled evening.

Up until June, Josiah Hill III was operating under a temporary license for providing our blood lead testing services through the National College of Natural Medicine, but as of July, we are now officially independently certified by the Department of Health and Human Services. Thanks to NCNM for all their help throughout the years!