The City of South Lake Tahoe participated in the Day of the Young Child event on Saturday and provided important information about the dangers of lead based paint to young children and how parents can keep children safe by taking advantage of the Lead Safe Tahoe Program.
The annual Day of the Young Child was held at the South Lake Tahoe Community College where a variety of members in the community promoted safety for children through games and prizes. The City of South Lake Tahoe contributed to the event by handing out “Get the Lead Out” bags with flyers about the Lead Safe Tahoe Program while providing face painting and fun activities to the children.
The Lead Safe Tahoe Program aims to inform and protect children from lead based paint which is found in houses built before 1978. Lead paint can be found on window sills, doors, and walls throughout a house. Over one million children are affected by lead paint poisoning which can lead to learning disabilities and violent behavior.
This federal grant program is available to people with homes in South Lake Tahoe built before 1978, have children six and under who live or visit the house, and meet the income requirements. The program is free to residents who qualify. The City’s grant covers the cost of testing for lead paint in the home, cost to control the hazards found, and the cost to test the blood lead levels of the children in the home.