About

Welcome to the website of Community Development Institutes Healthy Environment/Healthy Children project. This project is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is designed to implement strategies that increase the awareness of the importance of Environmental Health in Early Childhood Education settings. Our specific goals are to:
  • Build the capacity of early childhood administrators and staff to be change agents by increasing their knowledge regarding children’s vulnerability to environmental hazards.
  • Expand awareness of the importance of environmental hazards and provide access to tools and resources.
  • Improve learning environments through the reduction in exposure to environmental hazards
Our team has created an environmental self-assessment to help identify areas that might be of potential concern and affirm practices that are going well. Please use the survey and provide us feedback about its usefulness. We are excited about this project and hope you join in the effort to improve the environmental health of children in early childhood programs!

Our Advisors

  • Dane Cruz – Program Director, Lake County Head Start (IL)
  • Heather Fox – Outreach Director for Dimensions Foundation/ Nature Explore (NE)
  • Rhonda Meyer – CEO/Owner, Heartfelt Impressions Learning Centers (3 locations) (MI)
  • Fawn Rave, Robinson Rancheria, Education Director (CA)
  • Bobbie Rose – Program Director, California Childcare Health Program, UCSF School of Nursing (CA)
  • Tim Shelhamer – District Environmental Health Specialist, Indian Health Service, California Area Office (CA)