The Harlem Children's Zone Needs Our Support!

 Post taken from The Harlem Children's Zone 

What is The Harlem Children's Zone?


An innovative and unique community-based organization, offering
education, social-service and community-building programs to children and families since 1970.

This summer over 340 communities nationwide applied for Promise Neighborhoods grants from the US Department of Education. Their goal is simple - they want to break the cycle of poverty for their
children and families by creating comprehensive initiatives based on the Harlem Children's Zone model.

President Obama proposed $210 million in his fiscal year 2011 budget for Promise Neighborhoods so communities can transform their visions into reality for poor children nationwide. But the House of Representatives recently slashed the proposed Promise Neighborhoods budget from $210 million to $60 million. Quite simply this means that for thousands of children, the failing schools, dangerous streets,
poor health care and other ills may not be addressed in the holistic way that the communities need.

We ask you to let your Senate and Representatives know that you want Promise Neighborhoods funding restored to $210 million for fiscal year 2011 in two ways:

1) Send a message to Congressional Leaders

http://support.hcz.org/site/R?i=dsPiIhnGAXYYTnwfra_7CA..

2) If your organization is interested in signing onto a letter calling

to restore the funding, (view letter) contact HCZ's Policy Director

Kate Shoemaker at kshoemaker@hcz.org to add your organization.

click here to help

Thank you!

Pesticides and ADHD

    A new study, receiving ubiquitous media attention recently, has shown a possible link between certain types of pesticides and a diagnosis of ADHD.  The study was published in Pediatrics and conducted by University of Montreal and Harvard Universtiy researchers.  The urine concentration of certan byproducts of organophosphates, a type of pesticide which accounts for over half of the pesticides used in this country, was tested in over 1100 children.  Researchers found that for every ten-fold increase in urine concentration of organophosphates, children were 35% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.  Perhaps an even more worrisome finding was that children who had even the lowest levels of organophosphates in their urine were twice as likely to have ADHD than those whose urine showed no previous exposure.  

   The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved 32 classes of organophosphate pesticides in 2006, despite the numerous requests from its own scientists not to do so.  One particularly disturbing letter, written by the EPA union presidents, can be found here.  

   The findings of this recent study are significant, but it is near impossible to show that pesticides were, without a doubt, the cause of the ADHD.  However, the connection shown here as well as several other studies may be reason enough to make a conscious effort to lower the amount of pesticides you and your family are exposed to daily.  Here are some ways to minimize dietary pesticide exposure: