Cecilia’s grandson Javier suffered from asthma and had symptoms every night until the family got help from the NYHealth-supported Healthy Homes initiative of Make the Road New York. This program engaged community health workers to conduct home visits to help nearly 200 residents of Bushwick—which has one of the highest asthma rates in the nation—address the asthma triggers in their home, including dust, rodents, mold, mites, and lead. The program also provided legal services and advocacy; connected participants to health care coverage and services; and conducted community education and outreach. Make the Road staff helped Cecilia persuade her landlord to fix the mold and a bathroom leak in the family’s apartment. These changes resulted in a significant decrease in Javier’s asthma symptoms—he experienced symptoms only monthly, rather than daily—and improvements in his overall health.
This video takes an in-depth look at the project and the families it has helped.